Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

Well I failed miserably at this read-a-thon. Life interrupted a few too many times.

I did manage to finish 2.5 books.

However the third book I thought I would finish turned out to be a dud and I just couldn't finish it yesterday. I did finish Me, Myself and Paris though, so that's something.

I guess I'll have to try again next year.

On a plus, I did finish all but one of the mini-challenges! Woo hoo!!

This is what I read and finished

This is what I started but am not sure if I will finish.

This is what I started and am still reading

Once Upon A Read A Thon Day 3 Mini Challenges

Today is the last Read-A-Thon day! Two more mini challenges! I love doing these.

The first comes from Ashley @ Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing

She wants Book Recommendations

The first is any book of your choice. Pick any book you want and tell me and the world why it should be read and loved.

The second is what you would pick as your favorite of the read-a-thon.

For the first part of this challenge I choose Amanda Stevens The Restorer.  I reviewed this book for Rex Robot Reviews about a month ago and I absolutely loved it.

There just aren't many mysteries out there involving cemetery restorers who can see ghosts!

I really found the plot to be unique and the mystery one that kept the pages turning. There was a touch of romance and some sexual tension there to spice things up too. I consider this one of the best books from 2011. It is a definite MUST READ!

As for the read-a-thon favorite...that's a bit tricky. I didn't have nearly enough time to read in these last 3 days.

It is the story of my life.

Of the three books I've read, Me Myself and Paris is my favorite. It is a memoir of humorous stories about the writer's time in...well...it is obvious right? Paris! After reading French Toast, I wasn't expecting anything great, but this was funny, and it reaffirmed my belief that Paris is overrated! Still, it was a short fun read!

The next challenge of the day comes from Wicked Awesome Books


We all enjoy a good love story (don't deny it!), but sometimes the two (or three or four) characters involved in a love story struggle so much, that I just want to say, 'hey, _____ would be so much better for you!' So in the spirit of matchmaking, I'm setting you with the task of playing cupid and shooting your arrows at two characters from different books in, what I'm calling, LET'S PLAY MATCHMAKER!


This is a hard one for me and one that makes me want to let out my inner snarky girl.
 
I'm going to take Stephanie Plum. This girl has a crazy awesome love triangle going one with Morelli and Ranger, but she just can't seem to commit to either of them. It is very frustrating. Maybe she needs someone different? She definitely needs someone to keep her out of trouble or at least get her into fun trouble..so lets give her Jameson Rook from the Nikki Heat books by..erm Richard Castle. They would have fun solving mysteries and that would end the Nikki Heat angst for the time being!

Once Upon a Read-A-Thon Day Two Update

I'm on schedule to finish just about all the books I hoped to for the read-a-thon. I finished Sherryl Woods' Driftwood Cottage and started Dragonflies and Dinosaurs by Kate Austin. I just have a little bit to finish on Me Myself and Paris...so all in all my goals are looking good.

I wish I had more time to read, but life is crazy right now. I have to say I do feel a bit jealous of the people whipping through 3 and 4 books in a day.

I also completed both mini challenges yesterday. I hope to be able to do the same today.

Once Upon a Read-A-Thon is definitely my favorite event of the year!

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Mini Challenge Day 2

This Mini Challenge is  brought to you by: YA Bliss

Top 3 LOVE TRIANGLES. In my opinion, a well done love triangle should be one where the choice is not clear, where you can't help but being torn yourself between both characters and you are uncertain as to which will end up being 'the one'. So if you were, lets say Team Mr. Obvious from book 1, and he ended up getting the girl and you were stoked about it because you hated Mr. Wrong all along, that is NOT a good love-triangle. That is merely A love-triangle. Got it?

1. Erik - Christine Daae - Raoul from The Phantom Of The Opera

2. Eric - Sookie - Bill from the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books

3. I'm not sure if this is a well done love triangle...but...Edward-Bella-Jacob from..you guessed it..Twilight.

Mini Challenge 2 is brought to you by: The Bookish Type

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it:

Pick any book from your readathon pile and write a fake synopsis based solely on the cover. The synopsis does not have to be related to the actual book at all, just the pretty, pretty cover.

In a world where dragonflies ruled the world, one insect stood out. Seeking to be different Fiona Dragonfly had strange words tattooed on her wings.

She soon becomes an outcast amongst her family and friends.

Off she flies into the great green sea seeking enlightenment.

But what secrets are hiding in that green sea?

Will the insects she encounters on the way be receptive to her?

But above all else will she find the peace and the freedom she longs for and the ability to be herself!

Once Upon a Read-A-Thon Day One Update

Day one started out pretty slowly. Sadly Mondays and work and vets appointments didn't make for good reading.

I finished up one book...I should have finished..last week, and I just about finished reading Driftwood Cottage. I should have that one done today with a review posted later this evening. Oh and I took part in one of the mini-challenges posted.

After that I plan on finishing Me Myself and Paris, which is really a great memoir about an American in France. It is far better than French Toast which I recently read.

After that I'm going to try to read a few quicky harlequins that I've had sitting around.

Oh and I'll be doing my best to complete the two mini challenges for today!

Woo hoo! Fun!

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Mini Challenge

This mini-challenge is hosted by Bailey at IB Book Blogging. She asks:

Mini Challenge Question 1:


What is your favorite type of myth (Greek, Roman, Egyptian etc)?
Mythology was the one part in our English classes in High School that I really enjoyed. I never enjoyed forced reading, though. I don't know that I have a favorite type of myth. The Greeks and Roman's were what we studied and there is a lot of overlap between these two cultures.  I do love the Roman myth of Pyramus and Thisbe. The Beatles did a funny play about the two that was in a video I saw back in high school.

Mini Challenge Question 2:

What is your favorite book with some type of mythology in it?

Amber Scott - Play Fling


Face Your Target... Brooke Munkle didn't leave a lukewarm marriage just to flounce into the first hot bed. Too young, too hot, Elliott Jovovich has no business distracting her from starting over. If only he'd get out of her fantasies. Maybe if she keeps things simple, she can allow herself one naughty indulgence. After all, who will know? Pull The String... Elliott sees through Brooke's stiff facade. Underneath her struggle to hold it all together, a vibrant, wanton woman is waiting to be freed. To win her heart, he'll play by her rules, which would be a a lot easier if her hostile best friend didn't fight so dirty. Sure, he has ammo of his own, but what he knows could hurt Brooke. Steady. Aim. Release... Millie Match isn't sure what she did to deserve this matchmaking hell. The sneaking around, the spying, compatibility issues, chemistry crises. Her target, Brooke, is keeping secrets. Elliott is definitely Mr. Wrong. And if Millie doesn't make true love magic now, she'll lose the one thing in this punishment worth fighting for

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon

My favorite Read-A-Thon is here. I have loads of books I need to get to, but my goal for this read-a-thon is to complete at least 4.

Here's what I need to get done:

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

I had so much fun on this read-a-thon and though I didn't get to read as much as I wanted I did get a lot read.

Anne Stuart - The Wicked House Of Rohan 36 page novella
Jacqueline Rayner - The Stone Rose (audio book)
Michelle Reid - The Passion Bargain 192 pages
Jennifer Crusie - Manhunting 284 pages
Myrna MacKenzie - The Maid & The Millionaire 174 pages

I also got about 128 pages into Elizabeth Bevarly's Bride Of The Bad Boy but I didn't finish that one until today.

So I read 814 pages over the course of the last 3 days. Not bad, and one audio book.

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Update 2

I wanted to update last night and then I flaked out and fell asleep. Then I wanted to update this morning and didn't have computer time when I usually did, so here's my second update. I hope to have one more before midnight.

Books read

Jacqueline Rayner - The Stone Rose (audio book)
Michelle Reid - The Passion Bargain 192 pages
Jennifer Crusie - Manhunting 284 pages
Myrna MacKenzie - The Maid & The Millionaire 174 pages

I hope to get the reviews up on a few of these in the coming days.

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Mini Challenge 4

Cynthia @ A Blog About Nothing has one of today's mini-challenges.

I chose, Nick Hornby's Juliet Naked



Tucker Crowe - Bill Nighy



Duncan - Jon Cusack



Annie - Drew Barrymore

Once Upon A Read-A-Thon Update 1

Well it is day two and I think I've done well, not as well as I hoped I would, but I'm getting there.

I finished the Doctor Who audio book The Stone Rose
I also finished a Harlequin Presents by Michelle Reid called The Passion Bargain, that really was no bargain to read.

I'm now 20 pages into Jennifer Crusie's Manhunting and I'm really enjoying it. I have a couple of Who audios to listen to if I get out for my walk tonight too, so fingers crossed. Sadly tonight is going to be taken up with household stuff that must be done, garbage, litter boxes and grocery shopping. Oh and White Collar starts tonight and I can't miss that, but I will try to keep up with my reading.

How are you guys doing so far?

Once Upon A Read A Thon: Mini Challenge 3

Jenn over at Book Crazy has another challenge for us.


We all have a favorite book, right?
We all have a favorite character, right?

What I want you to do, since I am a lover of all things music and photo related is to pick one - or both - and put them together!!

Does that make sense? HMM, lets see if I can explain better, basically pick your favorite book and/or character and pair it with a song and/or photo that reminds you of the person or setting in the book!

I can't do my favorite book, which is The Phantom Of The Opera, because there's that little musical that Andrew Lloyd Webber did. That kind of spoils it for this challenge.

So I'm going to pick my favorite series which is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum

I know the part has already been cast for the movie, but I think they definitely have it wrong.

Stephanie should look like this



And for some reason, Cheap Trick's Never Had A Lot To Lose seems to suit her and Morelli and Ranger and probably even Diesel.

Once Upon A Read A Thon: Mini Challenge 2

The Eager Readers is hosting a mini-challenge for the read-a-thon.

Mini Challenge Part 2: Post about a crossover couple you would love to see and enter to win a copy of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare!

There is one that comes to mind as soon as I saw this question

Bella Swan from The Twilight Saga


Lestat from The Vampire Chronicles


I would love to see how Bella would react when she found out that vampires don't sparkle and for the most part, they aren't very nice. Bet that would stop her whining a bit!

Once Upon A Read A Thon: Mini Challenge

The Eager Readers is hosting a mini-challenge for the read-a-thon.


Mini Challenge Part 1: Post about your favorite fictional couple and enter to win a copy of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder!

My favorite fictional couple




Christine Daae and Erik from The Phantom Of The Opera. I always found Christine and Erik to be more of a couple than Christine and Raoul, even though they are in love.

The Phantom of the Opera has to be one of my favorite novels of all time. I've read it about 8 times over the years.