September Wrap Up

September is over. Sad I know, but hey its now time for the creepy. The month of orange & black, icky spiders & most importantly CANDY.

Since September is over I thought I'd do a wrap up for everything I read during the month.

Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster

This was the first book in the London Steampunk series. It has a really different take on vampires & werewolves. I immediately continued the series. I was lucky enough to listen to this one as an audiobook.

The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

This is the second book in the Naked Werewolf series. I loved the strong female character & found this to be an easy & enjoyable read.

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Kate Rorick

LOVED THIS BOOK! I really enjoyed the web series & this was a great addition to it.

My Lady Quicksilver by Bec McMaster

Book 3 of the London Steampunk series. I loved this story & really liked the mystery involved.

Fanning the Flames by Victoria Dahl

This was a prequal to a series. I really liked it & hope to continue the series when I can get them from the library.

 On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

This is a first in a really sweet new adult series in Scotland. I really liked the characters in this one & was glad to see them show up in the next two books.








Sidekick by Auralee Wallace

I did not like this one at all. I don't really remember much of this one. I finished this one which is why there is two stars instead of one.

Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts

This was a reread for me. I liked it the first time & still enjoyed it the second time around.

Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster

This was a good story though I did like the first one better.

Down London Road by Samantha Young

I liked the reoccurring of characters from the first novel. There were a few things about the characters I didn't care for but overall I did like it.










Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young

This is the third book in the On Dublin Street series. I enjoyed this book, but I did find it full of tropes and did not like it as well as the first two.

The Curious Case of The Clockwork Menace
 by Bec McMaster

This is a book in between the third & fourth book. It is not a happy ending but you get an inside look at the next two characters in book four, Forged in Desire.

Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

This is the book between books 4 and 5 of the Kate Daniels series. I really liked Andrea & was really frustrated to find out that I had read this out of order. I have this book as an audiobook & really enjoyed it.

Reading Update! Finally!

So its been MONTHS! I'm sorry I'm not consistent at all!

So I'm trying to update the two Reading Challenges I'm participating in in 2014.

The Goodreads Challenge & The Reading Bingo Challenge.

Goodreads:

On the Goodreads Challenge I'm still doing 65 books & as of today I'm 2 books behind. 

This isn't really accurate as I've reread probably 20 books. Unfortunately Goodreads doesn't have a reread date. I really think they should, I know I can't be the only person who rereads books!

If you want to know what I've read Here's a link to my Goodreads Challenge

or you can click on the Challenge on the sidebar.

Reading Bingo Challenge:

I have separated out the finished squares from the ones in progress. Um yeah I've a lot to read...

Finished Squares:

1. One Book in TBR  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

8. ReRead Hidden Star by Nora Roberts

9. Free Square Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

10. Contemporary The Heist by Janet Evanovitch & Lee Goldberg

11. One Book in a Series Captive Star by Nora Roberts

12. Two Books in a Series Down London Road & Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young

13. Three Books in a Series Heist Society, Uncommon Criminals, Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

16. Fantasy  Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster   

17. Free Square   How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper 

18. Historical Fiction  Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster

19. Mystery  Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts

20. Romance  On Dublin Street by Samantha Young                    

21. One New Release The Chase by Janet Evanovitch & Lee Goldberg

In Progress Squares:

2. Two Books in TBR The Book Theif by Marcus Zusak

3. Three Books in TBR I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

4. Four Books in TBR The Maze Runner Series & Prequel by James Dashner

5. Five Books in TBR Gallagher Girls Series (2-6) by Ally Carter

6. Non Fiction

7. Classic – Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

14. Four Books in a Series Cress by Marissa Meyer, The Titan’s Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth& The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

15. Five Books in a Series Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant by Veronica Roth, Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

22. Two New Releases Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, Shattered by Kevin Hearne

23. Three New Releases

24. Four New Releases

25. Five New Releases

Are you participating in a reading challenge this year? How is it going?

Let me know in the comments!

Reading Bingo Update!

So um yeah, I meant to update months ago & forgot. Life has been crazy & when I get home from work I usually crash! 

I've been rereading a lot! I reread the In the Garden trilogy by Nora Roberts, this was brought on by working in the garden & planting flowers with my dad!

 I've also been re-listening to the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne since his new book Shattered is coming out in June! The audio books are AMAZING! Get them! 

So I've only finished one more square on my bingo card. Oh well! I listened to The Fault in Our Stars by John Green at work this week. Oh wow! I may do a review probably with spoilers later! 

So as I was putting this together I remember I also listened to my first Brandon Sanderson book: Steelheart. Since there isn't a Sci-Fi Square I'm going to use one of my Free Spaces for it so I really finished TWO squares! wohoo! 

 Ok enough of my rambling! Let's check out the Bingo Card:

Ok Here is the TBR/Read List for the card: 

1. One Book in TBR The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

2. Two Books in TBR The Book Theif by Marcus Zusak

 3. Three Books in TBR GGSB1 by Ally Carter 

4. Four Books in TBR The Maze Runner Series & Prequel by James Dashner 

5. Five Books in TBR Gallagher Girls Series (2-6) by Ally Carter 

6. Non Fiction 

7. Classic 

8. ReRead Hidden Star by Nora Roberts 

9. Free Square Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

10. Contemporary The Heist by Janet Evanovitch & Lee Goldberg 

11. One Book in a Series Captive Star by Nora Roberts 

12. Two Books in a Series Cinder, Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

13. Three Books in a Series Heist Society, Uncommon Criminals, Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter 

14. Four Books in a Series Cress by Marissa Meyer, The Titan’s Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth& The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan 

15. Five Books in a Series Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant by Veronica Roth, Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke 

16. Fantasy

 17. Free Square

 18. Historical Fiction

 19. Mystery

 20. Romance

 21. One New Release The Chase by Janet Evanovitch & Lee Goldberg 

22. Two New Releases Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, Shattered by Kevin Hearne 

23. Three New Releases 

24. Four New Releases 

25. Five New Releases

Reading Challenge Update

According to Goodreads I've read 17 of my 65 books for 2014. Now a lot of those have been rereads. I'm still trying to work myself out a reading slump. Though seeing the final trailer for the Divergent movie set into motion the single sitting read of Divergent by Veronica Roth.


Ok Bingo update:

Completed Squares:

8. Reread: Hidden Star by Nora Roberts

10. Contemporary: The Heist by Janet Evanovitch & Lee Goldberg

11. One Book in a Series: Captive Star by Nora Roberts

Squares in Progress:

1. One Book in TBR The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2. Two Books in TBR The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

3. Three Books in TBR GGSB1 by Ally Carter, ?, ?

4. Four Books in TBR The Maze Runner Series & Prequel by James Dashner

5. Five Books in TBR Gallagher Girls Series (2-6) by Ally Carter

6. Non Fiction ?

7. Classic ?

9. Free Square ?

12. Two Books in a Series Cinder, Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

13. Three Books in a Series Heist Society, Uncommon Criminals, Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

14. Four Books in a Series Cress by Marissa Meyer, The Titan’s Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth & The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

15. Five Books in a Series Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant by Veronica Roth

16. Fantasy    ?                                     

17. Free Square       ?                                         

18. Historical Fiction  ?                      

19. Mystery                 ?                       

20. Romance                 ?                     

21. One New Release The Chase by Janet Evanovitch & Lee Goldberg

22. Two New Releases ?

23. Three New Releases ?

24. Four New Releases ?

25. Five New Releases ?

I still have a lot of planning to do on what to read but its only the first of March, I've plenty of time! 

(If I've misspelled anything I'm sorry!)

Reading Challenges 2014

I love to read, to most of you this is no surprise. To make it more fun for 2014 I decided to check out a few challenges.

Challenge 1: The Goodreads Challenge

I challenged myself to 65 books in 2014.
Last year I challenged myself to 50 books & increased it to 65. I read a total of 100 books in 2013.

Though towards the end of the year I went into a major reading slump which I've only recently been able to climb out of.

You can find me on Goodreads here.

Challenge 2: Book Bingo

This is a bingo card challenge hosted by Kristilyn of Reading in Winter & Anne of Creativity's Corner.

Summery: Read what the square tells you to read! Its bingo & we're going for a blackout!

For all the rules go here.

I am really excited about this & will keep you updated on my progress.

What are your reading challenges for 2014?

-Stephanie

What I learned on Valentine's Day

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. It may be because I'm single (okay its almost positively because I'm single), but that's not the point.

To get to the point let me just go through my day:

It started out with my phone having been unplugged during the night. Due to this it died & I overslept by almost two hours. ...oops

I went to my first job, did what I could in the time I had.

Drove to my second job & ended up having to circle around a couple of times to find parking. The parking person has been cracking down majorly lately. So again I was running late (I HATE being late, its a thing.).

I walked in and on my desk is a box of chocolate covered strawberries!!! 

Now chocolate covered strawberries are a favorite which I get maybe once every two years, so I was excited!!! (And I totally pigged out and ate them all throughout the day...oops!)

So being Valentine's Day I went to Tulsa to window shop & go to a movie.

I went to Panera to eat & ran into a situation which gave me perspective. 

I sat down and a couple were talking to a young girl with a baby, who looked like she was crying. 

They finished up their meal & left. This girl was still there looking lost and had no food in front of her. 

I asked her if she needed anything, food or anything. She told me the couple had gotten her a gift certificate to Panera & she didn't think she could keep down anything. (I thought later I should have gotten her a tea & some bread.) She told me she didn't have anyone in town & that the father of her son had stood her up at Panera. 

So what I learned today: my problems aren't as bad as they could be & I actually had a good day.

What was the best thing about your Valentine's Day?

Worst Sound Ever

So the other day we were on an awesome senior shoot & we went to this really neat alleyway. We’ve been there before and noticed a few weeks ago a dead bird. So naturally we were on the look out so we wouldn't step on it. This time though the wings were in one place and the bones were in another. The wings were easily avoidable & I had pointed out the bones to Andrea. (This is so she has a general idea of where they are while she is shooting.)

We were having a good time & talking to the senior & Andrea adjusts her position to get a different angle. All we hear was a loud crack and crunch.

Everyone there went “Oh!”

As we were walking to the car, I told Andrea. “That was the worst sound ever.”

What's the worst sound you've ever heard?