2016 reading total revealed! What a year....

The aim had been to read 60 books, graphic novels, novellas, short stories etc....

The total ended up being 124 items read, double what I had aimed for. A hell of a year for reading thanks to audio books in particular.

1. Flash fiction/short fiction:
1. The Girl in the Converse Shoes by Yari Garcia - Flash fiction  [YA]. 
2. On the Bridge (The Infernal Devices #0.5) by Cassandra Clare
3. After The Bridge (The Infernal Devices #3.5) by Cassandra Clare
4. The Little Dragon by Mem Fox (picture book)
5. Pretty Minni in Paris by Danielle Steel (picture book)
6. One day: Three Ways (Trylle #2.5) by Amanda Hocking
7. Restoration of Faith (The Dresden Files #0.2) by Jim Butcher
8. The Wonderland Alphabet: Alice's Adventures Through the ABCs and What She Found There by Althea Kontis, illus by Janet K. Lee
2. Hug (the Pug) by W.L. Cripps [childrens]
3. The Bad Guys: Episode 1 by Aaron Blabey [childrens] - 5 stars!
4. Stephen Hawking: Cosmologist Who Gets a Big Bang Out of the Universe (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Inventors & Scientists) by Mike Venezia [Childrens]
5. My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent
6. Bloodlust Denied by Christina Phillips (novella)
7. The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns
8. The Christmas Gift by Monica McInerney (short stories)
9. The Earth's Place in Space by Nicolas Brasch
10. Hellcursed (Shadowfae #0.5) by Erica Hayes (short story)
11. Science FAQ: Why Are Black Holes Black? by Thomas Canavan (Childrens non-fiction)
12. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident Graphic Novel (Artemis Fowl #2) by Eoin Colfer
13. Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare
14. Dreaming of You (The Gamblers #2) by Lisa Kleypas
15. Ceremony in Death (In Death #5) by J.D. Robb 
16. Spirit Dances (The Walker Papers #6) by C.E. Murphy
17. How to Get Over Your Ex (Valentine's Day Survival Guide Duet #1) by Nikki Logan
18. Grave Secrets (Temperance Brennan #5) by Kathy Reichs (Abridged Audio)
19. Emily the Strange : Lost, Dark, and Boring ((Emily the Strange Dark Horse Comics Book series #1-3) by Rob Reger
20. Emily's Secret Book of Strange (Emily Strange graphic novel #2) by Rob Reger
21. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code Graphic Novel (Artemis Fowl #3) by Eoin Colfer
22. To Catch A Bride (Devil Riders #3) by Anne Gracie 
23. The Seven Month Itch (Living Blond #2) by Allison Rushby
24. A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove #1) by Tessa Dare
25. Bring It On (Retrievers #3) by Laura Anne Gilman
26. Burning Bridges (Retrievers #4) by Laura Anne Gilman
27. Chaos Born (Chronicles of Applecross #1) by Rebekah Turner
28. What the Lady Wants by Jennifer Crusie
29. Caressed By Ice (Psy-Changeling, #3) by Nalini Singh (Audio)
30. Cross Stitch (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon - Re-read
31. Write Good or Die: survival tips for the 21st century, edited by Scott Nicholson (non-fiction)
32. Little Gems Short Story Anthology: Diamond (2012) by Romance Writers of Australia (various authors)
33. His Princes in the Making (Suddenly Royal #2) by Melissa James
34. Heroes are my Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
35. This is Your Afterlife by Vanessa Barneveld (YA)
36. The Accidental Wedding (Devil Riders #4) by Anne Gracie
37. Blind Attraction (Reckless Beat #1) by Eden Summers
38. Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer (Audio)
39. Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3) by Jim Butcher (audio)
40. Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1) by Jeaniene Frost (audio)
41. Plum Spooky (A Stephanie Plum Between the Numbers/Holiday Novel, #4; Stephanie Plum #14.5) by Janet Evanovich (audio)
42. Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville #1) by Carrie Vaughn
43. Wicked (A Wicked Saga, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout  (audio)
44. The Monster (Troubletwisters #2) by Garth Nix and Sean Williams
45. The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries #1) by Meg Cabot (audio)
46. Size 12 Is Not Fat (Heather Wells, #1) by Meg Cabot
47. Dead Faint (DEAD #2) byLizzie T. Leaf 
48. The Lone Warrior (Four Sided Pentacle #3) by Denise Rossetti
49. Dragon Bones (Hurog #1) by Patricia Briggs 
50. Evermore by Isobelle Carmody & Daniel Reed
51. Aphrodite the Beauty (Goddess Girls #3) by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
52. Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews
53. The Storybook of Legends (Ever After High #1) by Shannon Hale
54. Whisper of Sin (Psy-Changeling #0.6) by Nalini Singh
55. The Third Day, The Frost (Tommorow #3) by John Marsden
56. Ella Enchanted (The Enchanted Collection) by Gail Carson Levine
57. The Thistle and the Rose (Macphersons #0.5) by May McGoldrick
58. Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove #1.5) by Tessa Dare
59. Jinx by Meg Cabot (audio)
60. A Pretty Mess (Astonvale #1) by Carla Caruso
61. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• Alice in Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole, adapted by: Joe Rhatigan & Charles Nurnberg ; illustrated by Éric Puybaret
• Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland adapted by Jon Scieszka
• Alice Illustrated: 120 Images from the Classic Tales of Lewis Carroll by Jeff A Menges
62. The Bad Guys Episode 2: Mission Unpluckable (Bad Guys #2) by Aaron Blabey
63. A Dance with Dragons, Part 1: Dreams and Dust (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R. R. Martin
64. Soulless Manga Volume 1 (based on Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger & REM
65. A Week to Be Wicked (Spindle Cove #3) by Tessa Dare 
66. Torn (Trylle #2) by Amanda Hocking
67. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling, audio read by Stephen Fry (re-read)
68. The Elves and The ShoeMaker by Jim LaMarche (adapted from Brothers Grimm)
69. Bridal Jitters (Ghost Hunters #0.5) by Jayne Castle 
70. Alone (Detective D.D. Warren #1) by Lisa Gardner
71. A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry #6) by Laurell K. Hamilton
72. Disney's Alice in Wonderland Graphic Novel by Alessandro Ferrari
73. After Glow (Ghost Hunters #2) by Jayne Castle (audio)
74. The Bad Guys Episode 3: The Furball Strikes Again (Bad Guys #3) by Aaron Blabey - childrens
75. Against the Odds  (Gamblers of Craven's #3) by Lisa Kleypas - novella
76. Castle of the Zombies (The Fixers #1) by Sean Williams - childrens
77. B is for Bigfoot (The Dresden Files #2.5) by Jim Butcher
78. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire (Love at Stake #1) by Kerrelyn Sparks (audio)
79. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (audio)
80. Ghost Island (The Bone Island Trilogy #1) by Heather Graham
81. Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse #5) by Charlaine Harris (audio)
82. The Boy in a Dress by David Walliams (childrens) 
83. Bound by the Unborn Baby by Bella Bucannon
84. Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices Manga #1) by Cassandra Clare and Hye-Kyung Baek
85. Master of Love by Catherine LaRoche
86. Guilty Pleasures volume 2 (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Graphic Novels) by Laurell K. Hamilton et al.
87. The Short Story Writer's Toolshed - Your Quick Read, Straight-To-The-Point Guide to Writing and Selling Short Fiction  by Della Galton 
88. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin #1) by M.C. Beaton
89. The Guy To Be Seen With (Valentine's Day Survival Guide Duet) by Fiona Harper 
90. Bride by Mistake (Devil Riders #5) by Anne Gracie | 5 stars
91. How to Blog a Book: Revised and Expanded edition by Nina Amir (non-fiction) | 4 stars
92. Mr. Churchill's Secretary (Maggie Hope Mysteries #1) by Susan Elia MacNeal (audio) | 5 stars
93. The Misted Cliffs (The Lost Continent #2) by Catherine Asaro | 3.75 stars
94. Welcome to the Jungle (The Dresden Files #0.5 Graphic Novel) by Jim Butcher | 4 stars
95. The Spider Goddess (Pandora English #2) by Tara Moss | 4 stars
96. A Lady by Midnight (Spindle Cove #3) by Tessa Dare (audio) | 5 stars
97. Darkness Rising (Dark Angel #2) by Keri Arthur
98. Soulless Manga volume 2 by Gail Carriger and REM
99. The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman | 3.75 stars
100. Reckoning (Night Huntress #0.5) by Jeaniene Frost
101. Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet #1) by Julia Quinn (audio) | 4.5 stars
102. Slightly Shady (Lake and March #1) by Amanda quick (ebook) | 4.5 stars
103. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #3) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (ebook & audio) | 4 stars
104. Arthur and George by Julian Barnes (audio) | 4 stars
105. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) by J.K. Rowling (audio - narrated by Stephen Fry) | re-read | 5 stars
106. Boy: Tales from Childhood by Roald Dahl | non-fiction | 4 stars
107. Captive of Sin by Anna Campbell | 5 stars
108. The Final Wish (Hot Down Under) | short story | 4 stars
109. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth | 5 stars
110. Sandman: Fables and Reflections (Sandman #6) by Neil Gaiman et al | Graphic Novel | 4 stars
111. Legend of the Timekeepers (The Last Timekeepers #0.5) by Sharon Ledwith | Middle Grade-YA | 4 stars
112. If I Die (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent | YA | 5 stars
• Niederwald (Soul Screamers #4.5) by Rachel Vincent | YA | 4 stars
113. Dark Child (Awakening) Episode 1 by Adina West | Urban Fantasy | 4.5 stars
114. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood | audio | 5 stars
115. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) by J.K. Rowling (audio - read by Stephen Fry) | re-read | 5 stars
116. The Ghost Train | Arnold Ridley | Radio Play - audio | 4 stars
117. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter: The Laughing Corpse, Volume 1 - graphic novel by Laurell K. Hamilton et al. | 4.5 stars
118. Angel Thief (Out of the Bottle #2) by Jenny Schwartz | 4.5 stars
119. Christmas at the Castle by Marion Lennox
120. Smitten (Smitten #1) by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, Diann Hunt (audio) | Inspirational romance | 3 stars
121. My Man Jeeves (Jeeves #1) by P.G. Wodehouse - audio | 4 stars
122. Vamps and the City (Love at Stake #2) by Kerrelyn Sparks - audio | Paranormal romance | 4 stars
123. Through the Looking Glass (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #2) by Lewis Carroll | Classics - Childrens | 4 stars
124. South of Salem (Allegra Fairweather Mystery #2) by Janni Nell | Urban fantasy | 5 stars

I'll talk about my 2017 goals in another post.

Happy 2017!!

~ E x

100 books read!

I've exceeded my 60 book challenge by reading 100 books!

Actually it's over 100 books now.

It's been a number of years that I have read this many books and it's been very good for the soul.

Over the last few years both audio books and graphic novels have been a great addition to my reading. The one area that I need to work on is non-fiction.

On Goodreads, I noticed I had 5000+ books on my 'want to read' shelf. And I keep adding books every day! Alas, there is just not enough time to read them all. Of course, some I add because they look okay but may not actually be my cup of tea.

~Eleni
xx


Happy Reading!

60 Books Challenge Done - mic drop!

Yep, I've done it! I've hit the 60 book mark and I'm still going. I've been reading various different styles, genres, and in different formats. I have enjoyed this and I feel it's been feeding my soul. I've discovered some new authors, tried to catch up on others, and generally feeling good about it. I'm not rushing and am loving the ride.

Last time I listed the list was up to 37. I'm reading a lot of series this year trying to catch up on ones that have lingered over long.

• Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer (Audio)
• Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3) by Jim Butcher (audio)
• Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1) by Jeaniene Frost (audio)
• Plum Spooky (A Stephanie Plum Between the Numbers/Holiday Novel, #4; Stephanie Plum #14.5) by Janet Evanovich (audio)
• Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville #1) by Carrie Vaughn
• Wicked (A Wicked Saga, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (audio)
• The Monster (Troubletwisters #2) by Garth Nix and Sean Williams
• The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries #1) by Meg Cabot (audio)
• Size 12 Is Not Fat (Heather Wells, #1) by Meg Cabot
• Dead Faint (DEAD #2) byLizzie T. Leaf 
• The Lone Warrior (Four Sided Pentacle #3) by Denise Rossetti
• Dragon Bones (Hurog #1) by Patricia Briggs 
• Evermore by Isobelle Carmody & Daniel Reed
• Aphrodite the Beauty (Goddess Girls #3) by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
• Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews
• The Storybook of Legends (Ever After High #1) by Shannon Hale
• Whisper of Sin (Psy-Changeling #0.6) by Nalini Singh
• The Third Day, The Frost (Tommorow #3) by John Marsden
• Ella Enchanted (The Enchanted Collection) by Gail Carson Levine
• The Thistle and the Rose (Macphersons #0.5) by May McGoldrick
• Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove #1.5) by Tessa Dare
• Jinx by Meg Cabot (audio)
• A Pretty Mess (Astonvale #1) by Carla Caruso
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• Alice in Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole, adapted by: Joe Rhatigan & Charles Nurnberg ; illustrated by Éric Puybaret
• Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland adapted by Jon Scieszka
• Bad Guys Episode 2: Mission Unpluckable (Bad Guys #2) by Aaron Blabey
• A Dance with Dragons, Part 1: Dreams and Dust (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R. R. Martin
• Soulless Manga Volume 1 (based on Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger & REM
• A Week to Be Wicked (Spindle Cove #3) by Tessa Dare 
• Torn (Trylle #2) by Amanda Hocking
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling, audio read by Stephen Fry (re-read)
• The Elves and The ShoeMaker by Jim LaMarche (adapted from Brothers Grimm)
• The Little Dragon by Mem Fox (picture book)
• Pretty Minnie in Paris by Danielle Steel (picture book)
• One day: Three Ways (Trylle #2.5) by Amanda Hocking

Happy Reading!

~Eleni 

50 books read so far in 2016

courtesy: Pixabay

A quick short note to announce that I have managed to read 50 books (of varying lengths)! According to Goodreads, I am 23 books ahead of schedule in my 60 book reading challenge. And it's not even the end of June yet.

This breaks the total amount of books read last year, which had been 49. Having taken time out for home and my health has definitely benefited my reading.

~Happy Reading~

Eleni

Over half way.... Reading Challenges Update

My little challenge meter widget from Goodreads is letting me know that I have read 37 items, which means I'm over halfway through my 60 book challenge!!

Yes, this includes short books as well as graphic novels etc, but reading is reading, right?

Last time I listed the books up to 16. Now let's take a look at the rest.

• How to Get Over Your Ex (Valentine's Day Survival Guide Duet #1) by Nikki Logan
• Grave Secrets (Temperance Brennan #5) by Kathy Reichs (Abridged & Unabridged Audio)
• Emily the Strange : Lost, Dark, and Boring ((Emily the Strange Dark Horse Comics Book series #1-3) by Rob Reger
• Emily's Secret Book of Strange (Emily Strange graphic novel #2) by Rob Reger
• Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code Graphic Novel (Artemis Fowl #3) by Eoin Colfer
• To Catch A Bride (Devil Riders #3) by Anne Gracie 
• The Seven Month Itch (Living Blond #2) by Allison Rushby
• A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove #1) by Tessa Dare
• Bring It On (Retrievers #3) by Laura Anne Gilman
• Burning Bridges (Retrievers #4) by Laura Anne Gilman
• Chaos Born (Chronicles of Applecross #1) by Rebekah Turner
• What the Lady Wants by Jennifer Crusie
• Caressed By Ice (Psy-Changeling, #3) by Nalini Singh (Audio)
• Cross Stitch (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon - Re-read
• Write Good or Die: survival tips for the 21st century, edited by Scott Nicholson (non-fiction)
• Little Gems Short Story Anthology: Diamond (2012) by Romance Writers of Australia (various authors)
• His Princes in the Making (Suddenly Royal #2) by Melissa James
• Heroes are my Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
• This is Your Afterlife by Vanessa Barneveld (YA)
• The Accidental Wedding (Devil Riders #4) by Anne Gracie
• Blind Attraction (Reckless Beat #1) by Eden Summers

 I continue with reading more than one book at a time. Yes, I know I am in the minority with the chopping and changing I do. This is more to do with me than the books. It changes according to my energy levels and tiredness factor. Even the most riveting book can't keep this girl's eyes open. Instead of trying to force the one or two books at time policy I used to adhere to, I've adapted. 

Primary book reading in print
Kitty Norville and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville #1) by Carrie Vaughn


Other print books
A Dance with Dragons: Dreams and Dust (A Song of Ice and Fire #5, Part 1 of 2) by George R.R. Martin

The Misted Cliffs (Lost Continent #2) by Catherine Asaro
The Lone Warrior (Four Sided Pentacle #3) by Denise Rossetti


Next on the print TBR list
If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) by Rachel Vincent


Primary reading in ebook form
DEAD Faint by Lizzie T. Leaf


Other e-books
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle


Next on the e-book TBR list
A Pretty Mess (Astonvale #1) by Carla Caruso



Graphic Novel 
Evermore: a post apocalyptic fairy tale by Isobelle Carmody & Daniel Reed



Audio book listening to
Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3) by Jim Butcher
Plum Spooky (Stephanie Plum #14.5 - Between the numbers) by Janet Evanovich
Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer
Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1) by Jeaniene Frost

(This is what happens when you borrow books automatically when they are on hold *wink*)


Non-fiction
How to Blog a Book by Nina Amir
No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty


It's been lovely to be able to read more again. But I know that like other years that can change depending on my health. So here's hoping it only changes for the better.

--Happy Reading!--

26% percent and current reading

I'm 26% through my 60 book reading challenge! I'm clumping some flash fiction/short stories together to balance it out, but I've also read some longer works. This percentage is 16 out of the 60 and according to Goodreads, I'm 8 books ahead of schedule. So I'm very happy about that!

The books so far are:

1. Flash fiction/short fiction:
1. The Girl in the Converse Shoes by Yari Garcia - Flash fiction [YA]. 
2. On the Bridge (The Infernal Devices #0.5) by Cassandra Clare
3. After The Bridge (The Infernal Devices #3.5) by Cassandra Clare
2. Hug (the Pug) by W.L. Cripps [childrens]
3. The Bad Guys: Episode 1 by Aaron Blabey [childrens] 
4. Stephen Hawking: Cosmologist Who Gets a Big Bang Out of the Universe (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Inventors & Scientists) by Mike Venezia [Childrens]
5. My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent
6. Bloodlust Denied by Christina Phillips (novella)
7. The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns
8. The Christmas Gift by Monica McInerney (short stories)
9. The Earth's Place in Space by Nicolas Brasch
   
10. Hellcursed (Shadowfae #0.5) by Erica Hayes (short story)
11. Science FAQ: Why Are Black Holes Black? by Thomas Canavan (Childrens non-fiction)
12. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident Graphic Novel (Artemis Fowl #2) by Eoin Colfer
13. Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare
14. Dreaming of You (The Gamblers #2) by Lisa Kleypas
15. Ceremony in Death (In Death #5) by J.D. Robb 
16. Spirit Dances (The Walker Papers #6) by C.E. Murphy

All those bolded were given five stars and I highly recommend. Over at the Taverna, I'd included Rachael John's book The Patterson Girls as one of my favourite things for January. Totally amazing. 

Primary book reading in print

How to Get over your Ex by Nikki Logan

Other print books still reading
Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon (re-read)
Little Gems Anthology 2012 Diamond by Romance Writers of Australia



Next on the print TBR list
To Catch A Bride by Anne Gracie

Primary reading in ebook form 
Chaos Born by Rebekah Turner

Other e-books
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Twilight Guardians by Maggie Shayne

Next on the e-book TBR list
This Is Your Afterlife by Vanessa Barneveld

Graphic Novel reading
Artemis Fowl 3: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer et al.

Audio book listening to
Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, a Tempe Brennan novel

Non-fiction

Write or Die: survival tips for the 21st century edited by Scott Nicholson

I think these should keep me out of trouble.

~Happy reading~