March Reads

Yes, I finally finished more books. It took until March, but hey.

The King's Bastard by Rowena Cory Daniells.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy novel set in winter wonderland where intrigue and court politics rule supreme. This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait to read more.


I finished reading the Topaz 2010 Short Story Anthology, which is published by the Romance Writers of Australia. A great collection of short stories, with many of them by my writing buddies, including my critique partner, Fiona Gregory.


I researched Shaun Tan's art for an assignment for TAFE, so I went through The Bird King and Other Sketches. Little text, but oh, so fascinating. I just love the worlds he creates.

February Update

Well it had been a very busy month and little reading has been done until the last few days. That means I am way behind on all the challenges. However in the last few days, I've managed to finish two books, bringing the year's total to three.


Here is what the challenges are looking like.

Australian Women Writers (0/10)
- I would like to read a Tara Moss book.

DarkSiders  (1/12) - UP
- currently reading: Secret Ones by Nicole Murphy
- Allegra Fairweather by Janni Nell

Horror & Urban Fantasy (0/24)
Currently reading - Under the Dome by Stephen King

Mystery & Suspense (0/12)
Currently reading- Moonlight Becomes You by Mary Higgins Clark

Speculative Romance (1/18)
Currently Reading- Passion by Lauren Kate

Steampunk (0/6)
Currently reading - Blameless by Gail Carriger

Writing Buddies (1/24) - UP
Currently reading - Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh



So how have you been doing with your challenges?

DarkSider Challenge - February wrap up

February continued along the same path as January, with no DarkSider novels being finished.

How about you?

Did you get any DarkSider reading done?

DarkSider Challenge - January Wrap Up

I promised I would do a monthly round up of this challenge because I'm hosting it.

How did I go?

Ummm...good from the point of view I'm currently reading 3 DarkSider works.

The King's Bastard by Rowena Cory Daniells

Secret Ones by Nicole Murphy

Allegra Fairweather: paranormal investigator by Janni Nell.


And I have much more waiting for me in the wings.


How about you? How did you go?
Please leave how you went in the comments section.

January reads - challenges update

Eeek, well I've started off the year with only one book under my belt.

That's Meg Cabot's Insatiable.

This is the first book in the series featuring Meena Harper, dialogue writer for the TV daytime soap, Insatiable. Meena is a nice person who people ignore, even when she tries to let them know how they will die. She's having problems at work and all seems to become rosey when she meets Lucien. But Lucien is more than he seems and her life will never be the same again.

I loved the humour of this book, the poking the fun at vampires and vampire hunters, and the twist and turns of the story. It's the first book of a series, so I'm sure we'll see more of Meena and the love triangle she's found herself in.

So that's one book on the 100+ list, and 1 to Speculative Romance.

Hoping February would be a better month for reading.

How are you going?

Library reads of 2011

I was doing some housework when the question of how many books did I borrow in 2011, popped in my head.

To answer the question it is: 44.

Actually let me rephrase that. It's 44 books that I borrowed and completed. There are a heap more I started but had to return. I will borrow them again, just in a more realistic fashion.

Here is what those 44 books looked like:

Not too bad.

Speaking of library borrowed materials, I have a DVD I want to watch.

~Happy Reading~

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe it's the second to last week in January. I mean, wow. I've been busy doing courses and guess what has suffered. Yep, reading. In the last week I've gone to bed and gotten out of bed without reading anything, which is totally unlike me.

If you look at my counter on the left hand sidebar, I've only read ONE book for the year so far. That's depressing, if not realistic for what's happening ATM.

I haven't really studied what I want to read for each challenge, and I think I need to plan a little more this year to accomplish them, rather than winging it.

My first step to this is to state a book or author I will read for each challenge. It may not be straight away but at least by writing it down, the intent is there.

Okay, so:

Australian Women Writers - I would like to read a Tara Moss book.

DarkSiders - The King's Bastard by Rowena Cory Daniells

Horror & Urban Fantasy - Under the Dome by Stephen King

Mystery & Suspense - Moonlight Becomes You by Mary Higgins Clark

Speculative Romance - Passion by Lauren Kate

Steampunk - Blameless by Gail Carriger

Writing Buddies - Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh


That's a pretty good list. Hopefully things will return to normal in February.



~Happy reading~