48 Hr Book Challenge Wrap Up

I'm late to the wrap up party, last night was busy and so was work today. I didn't come close to accomplishing what I had hoped, but sometimes real life can get in the way of the best laid plans.

Reading: 12 Hours
Books Read: The Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
                     No Safety in Number by Dana Lorentz

2 hours of Blogging/Social Networking
$ Amount for Reading is Fundamental: $15.00

Thanks so much to MotherReader for organizing. Looking forward to next year!

48 Hr Book Challenge Update

Update!!

This year.....not going as well as I thought...working all day and then unexpected company has interfered with my reading plans....

5 hours of reading  accomplished...almost finished Masque of Red Death... at this rate I'll barely crack 15 hours...

It will be a late, late night:)

Next Book:

How are you doing?

48 HBC Finish Line 2011

This weekend went by so quickly and here is the finish line to the book challenge already. I didn't make my goal, I didn't think I would but I did read every moment I could.

The Books I Read:


Notice that they have similar colors? That wasn't intended- I don't usually read by book cover color:)

Total number of pages 1390
Total hours reading 15.5
Blogging/Twitter/Review       3
Total- 18.5

All in all I'm happy with the results! A huge thank you to Mother Reader for hosting!



48 HBC cont'd

Book 2 complete 10 hrs reading, and 2 hours blogging/reviewing....... on to the next book....hmmmmmm what to read next.....

Die for Me by Amy Plum

So I'm a bit behind on the challenge- today was packed full of errands etc and it's now past 24 hours later and I only have finished 1 book- but I have to say it was a really good one! I'm hoping to make up some time tonight. I've read for 5 hours in total.....

Die for Me by Amy Plum

Published May 10 2011 by HarperTeen

352 Pages

Reviewed from Arc (but it's one I'll still buy for my shelves)

Summary from GoodReads

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them

 apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. But Vincent is full of secrets and Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Die for Me has had mixed reviews, but I have to say I loved this one. I loved the setting in Paris, I loved the writing style, I loved the main character Kate and I loved the love-interest Vincent-Boy did I love Vincent(swooning)
This book is escapism at it's best. I know that readers have said that it echoes many themes & elements from Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, and I saw the similarities in story line, and even character development but I'm totally ok with it. Twilight was a wonderful book to escape the world in and so is Die for Me.
It will be interesting to see where the author goes in the next book, but I for one can not wait!
Definitely recommended.
 
Next book- Across the Universe
 

Ready Set Read! 48 Hour Book Challenge

48 Hour Book Challenge is hosted by Motherreader. From tonight (Friday) at 5:30pm I'm going to read as much as I can by Sunday 5:30. Last year I read a total of 6 books in 23.5 hours. For every 5 hours of reading you can blog, social network and review.
My goal this weekend is to read/blog and review 25.5 hours  or more. Of course this weekend seems to be packed full of things to do so here's hoping I can reach my goal this year!

First book - Die for Me by Amy Plum



I'll be updating and reviewing through out the week-end!

48 HBC Finish Line

And I've crossed the finish line.....

I read & blogged and had a really terrific weekend.
A big thank you to MotherReader for organizing the event. It was amazing to devote so much time to reading....

Books read:
The Line by Teri Hall
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis
Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman
Sold by Patricia McCormick
and 1/2 of The Red Pyramid (the Kane Chronicles) by Rick Riordan


Stats:

6 books read and another one started
a total of 1739 pages
23.5 hours
it's a little short of my 25 hour goal, but considering this was my first year in the challenge, I feel really happy with the result.
I'm looking forward to participating next year!!

48 HBC update 4

Sold by Patrica McCormick

Sold into prostitution, Lakshmi lives a nightmare and gradually forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision to risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life.
Very very powerful novel in a free verse format that I don't think I'll ever forget. It's terrifying to think, that the story though in a fiction format, is an everyday fact and truth for thousands of girls who are misled and sold to brothel's. Lakshmi's bravery, and hope was inspiring.

48 HBC Update 3

The last day of the challenge and I still have the opportunity to read lots more:)
I've read and blogged an additional 6.5 hours which brings us to 17.5 hours in total. I've read 5 books and a total of 1423 pages. I'm hoping to hit the 25 hr mark......

Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

Shelby’s summer plans go totally awry when her horrible stepmother sends her off to “brat camp” as punishment for one too many broken curfews. Camp is full of spoiled rich kids, obnoxious counselors wanting Shelby to talk about her feelings, and a totally inhumane “no cell phones” policy. Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there’s more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby’s help guarding it. Shelby knows that bad boys get her into trouble…but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one?

A really quick read, it was enjoyable, but a bit of a "surface" book. There wasn't a lot of character development, and I had a challenging time connecting to the characters. They didn't always seem real to me, and though Shelby had moments of being vulnerable, she often came off as spoiled and selfish like the rest of the characters. It was a plot driven story line and moved along very quickly. It was OK.


Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman

If you could only have one superpower what would it be? The ability to fly? Invisibility? Have you thought about the possible consequences?

When Jacob’s foster father whispers, “You are indestructible” seconds before dying in a car crash that should’ve killed them both, Jacob never imagines he could possess a real superpower. To test it Jacob and his friends start indulging comic book-like fantasies. Later, they commit to use this amazing power of indestructibility to do good in the world and save others from death. But how do they decide who to save? And what happens when they blur the lines of life and death, right and wrong, and good and evil?

The author does a wonderful job of pulling you in from the first few lines. I didn't put this book down for a second, and couldn't seem to turn the pages fast enough. A lot of thought provoking questions in this book.....and I like how the author leaves you to answer those questions on your own. Jacob is left to discover that there is a natural order to things and that there might be disastrous results when you mess with fate.

48 HBC Update 2

This day just seemed to fly by! My total reading time so far is.....9.5 hours, blogging/network time 1.5 hours which is a total of 11 hours!!

I finished Stolen by Lucy Christopher. The topic was a little unsettling....

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

I liked the way it was written....the form of a letter written by Gemma to Ty. The way the events unfolded as she wrote was almost perfection. I wanted to rescue her from the sheer hopelessness of her situation. Her rebellion and failed attempts at escape felt frustrating. As Ty's story unfolded and we learned more about him, I wonder if the author intended for us to feel sorry for him, for his desperation. (I didn't-it was impossible to see him as a good guy) I was worried initially when I picked the book that it might be filled with descriptions of abuse etc. I was relieved to find that was not the case and that Ty truly believed that Gemma would grow to love him. A compelling look into the mind of a captive who is dependent on her captor for survival.

48 HBC Update and Reviews

Aside from sleeping last night and a few errands this morning, I've been reading, reading reading. I'm at about 5 hours in total now, which is a bit behind what I was hoping for at this point, but I still have a ways to go.....so hopefully I can make up some time.

I've read two books so far....

The first was The Line by Teri Hall. I've had this on my to-read list for a long time...

"An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right??

I really liked the premise of the book, I've always been interested in the "unseen" enemy and how others perceptions can cloud our own. I was however, very disappointed with the book. I think it had potential, but it was very predictable and I found the writing stagnant and lacking fluidity.

Next:

Hex Hall (#1) by Rachel Hawkins

"Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters."

I really enjoyed Hex Hall. It had my attention from the first paragraph. The story ran like a movie in my imagination (I love it when that happens). Sophie (the main character) is very likable and I connected to her and cared about what was going to happen to her right away. A page turner, unpredictable and a cliff hanger mean that I'll be waiting anxiously for the next one.

And the reading begins...

I'm very excited about participating in the 48 Hour Book Challenge this weekend!!! I'm beginning now, which is 10:15pm and will finish Sunday at 10:15pm. I have my stack of reads ready, and have cleared the weekend schedule (for the most part). To find out about the 48 Hour Book Challenge and how you can particpate check out MotherReader's Blog.

First book :

The Line by Teri Hall

48 Hour Book Challenge

The 48 Hour Book Challenge is a dedicated weekend to blogging and reading!!!! It's hosted by Mother Reader and invites other bloggers to read, review, and network for 48 hours. I'm compiling my to-read list, and clearing my calendar for that weekend (June 4th-6th 2010). Be sure to check back for reviews and updates!!