#COYER Summer Vacation!

COYER Summer

The COYER Summer Vacation reading challenge is from June 18th to September 2nd, and I’ll be participating!  The lovely hosts of COYER have decided to throw out the rules and allow ANY book, regardless of price or format.  I’m super excited about this because during most of the challenge, I’ll be hosting my Sci-Fi Summer reading challenge, and a large chunk of the Science Fiction titles I own are physical editions, which is what I want to concentrate on clearing from my TBR mountain since I’m also participating in the Shelf Love reading challenge.  That’s THREE awesome challenges!

Since the rules for COYER have been tossed like hot potatoes for the Summer, I’m not setting any goals.  I’m just going to read as much as I can, mostly Sci-Fi, but also a few of my ARCs that have publication dates between June and September.  This is going to be a wonderful Summer! 🙂

Are you participating in the COYER Summer Vacation reading challenge?

Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge

SCI-FI SUMMERReading Challenge

There’s Sci-Fi November, and Vintage Sci-Fi January, but for me, the Summer is the time of year that is best for reading Science Fiction.  I don’t know why.  Do you think I make the rules of when I read certain genres or books?  Oh…wait…I do.  Or maybe my cat Dresden does?  He seems to be Lord and Master of the rest of my life, so it stands to reason that he does.  Regardless,  from June 20th, the official first day of Summer, to the 21st of September (the day before the Autumnal Equinox), I’m reading as much Sci-Fi as possible.  I’ve got a lot of it on my TBR shelves, and I’m inviting all of you to join me.

Since I’d like to make this a legitimate annual reading challenge, below are the levels:

  • Red Shirt – 1 to 5 books
  • Viper Pilot – 6 to 10 books
  • Jedi – 11 to 15 books
  • Time Lord – 16 or more books

Any book of at least 100 pages that is classified as Science Fiction, including any Sci-Fi subgenres, qualifies for this challenge.  That means audiobooks, physical books, ebooks, library books, free books, other borrowed books, anthologies, and graphic novels are all acceptable options.  You may also count any Sci-Fi book that counts towards another reading challenge.  On June 20th, I’ll post the link up for your reviews, and it will stay open until September 25th.

Are you up to the Science Fiction Summer challenge?  Link up your sign-up posts below:

 

The sign-up will remain open until September 14th, a week before the challenge ends.

 

#FitReaders Check-In

FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for May 13th – 19th.
  • My weight is still holding steady.  As I move into week 8, the final week, of the I Quit Sugar program, I’m thinking I’ll begin tracking the number of calories I’m eating again.  I may not make any changes to what I’m eating, but I want to see if I’m taking in more calories than I’m burning.
  • This week, my goal was to average 8k steps per day.  Thanks to some laziness over the weekend (which I think I needed, so no regrets there) and some foot pain after I did a 5K, I didn’t make any of my goals.  However, I still did well the days that I did exercise, and I’m proud of myself for accomplishing that 5K.

May 2016 5K

May-2016-5K

  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 37,231/56,000
  • Miles: 15.33/21.00
  • Flights of stairs: 68/70
  • Active Minutes: 170/210
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 2/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 2/10
  • Total Money Donated: $17.69/$100.00

Review: Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea

Mother

  • Author: Diana Marcellas
  • Publisher: Open Road Media
  • ISBN: 9781497631335
  • Pages: 398
  • Genre: Fantasy (Science Fiction?)

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I’m just going to say that you probably shouldn’t name one of the races in your book using the same word for Islamic law.  Perhaps take 30 seconds to type the word into any search engine before choosing it, just to be on the safe side.  Especially when those people are witches persecuted by the other race of people in your story.

Since I began reviewing books, I have loved or at least enjoyed every book I’ve read that has been published by Open Road Media.  So, when I chose Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea, I was expecting that experience to continue.  Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.  Besides the horrible choice of name for the race of witches, the book suffers from far too many lengthy and unnecessary passages that either could have been cut in half or removed altogether.  On top of that, there’s a quickly formed and somewhat ridiculous romance.  To make matters even worse, there are hints at the possibility of some Science-Fiction type elements, but then no other mention of them and my questions were left hanging there with no answers; not even a further suggestion that might make me want to pick up the next book.

I was disappointed in Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea enough that, while I’m not giving up on Open Road Media books, I will not read any more of the series.  I wish I could say differently, but there it is.  I just don’t care enough to find out if this is indeed Fantasy or Sci-Fi, or some strange mixture of the two.

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Review: Let's Pretend This Never Happened

Pretend

  • Author: Jenny Lawson
  • ISBN: 9780399159015
  • Pages: 318
  • Genre: Memoir/Humour

The above ISBN is for the hardcover edition, but I listened to the audiobook I purchased.

For fans of Tina Fey and David Sedaris—Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut.
Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In the #1 New York Times bestseller, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.”  – Goodreads

I’ve been a fan of The Bloggess for a very short time, having only come across Jenny Lawson’s blog a little less than a year ago.  Not long after reading a few of her posts, I wanted to read her books.  I especially wanted to read Furiously Happy, but being the crazy type of person that has to read things in order, I chose Let’s Pretend This Never Happened first.  I also decided to go with the audiobook instead of the paperback because Jenny narrates it herself.
I love audiobooks narrated by the author.  While sometimes that’s the last person who should be narrating a book, most of the time, they’re the best option because, hello, they wrote the book.  The author knows all their own natural pauses and cadence, and so you find out how the book should sound.  Also, there’s no way I’m listening to a humorous memoir by a Texan narrated by someone who isn’t a Texan.  Had Jenny Lawson not narrated her own audiobook, I probably would have just waited to buy the paperback next year when, and if, I was no longer participating in the Shelf Love Challenge.  Instead, I used my Audible credit like it was about to expire or the audiobook was going to be removed or something.
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is for everyone who has had a crazy life or thinks they’ve had a crazy life.  It’s also for everyone who suffers or has suffered from Depression, PTSD, anxiety, or rare diseases for which there is no cure.  For you, get ready to meet a person who understands just what you’re going through and will make you laugh until you’re rolling on the floor, crying, and probably peeing your pants.  I don’t know how I was able to drive to and from work for the week it took me to get through this book, but I didn’t have any road rage while I did it.  I was too busy laughing.
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Review: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened

Pretend

  • Author: Jenny Lawson
  • ISBN: 9780399159015
  • Pages: 318
  • Genre: Memoir/Humour

The above ISBN is for the hardcover edition, but I listened to the audiobook I purchased.

For fans of Tina Fey and David Sedaris—Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut.

Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In the #1 New York Times bestseller, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.”  – Goodreads

I’ve been a fan of The Bloggess for a very short time, having only come across Jenny Lawson’s blog a little less than a year ago.  Not long after reading a few of her posts, I wanted to read her books.  I especially wanted to read Furiously Happy, but being the crazy type of person that has to read things in order, I chose Let’s Pretend This Never Happened first.  I also decided to go with the audiobook instead of the paperback because Jenny narrates it herself.

I love audiobooks narrated by the author.  While sometimes that’s the last person who should be narrating a book, most of the time, they’re the best option because, hello, they wrote the book.  The author knows all their own natural pauses and cadence, and so you find out how the book should sound.  Also, there’s no way I’m listening to a humorous memoir by a Texan narrated by someone who isn’t a Texan.  Had Jenny Lawson not narrated her own audiobook, I probably would have just waited to buy the paperback next year when, and if, I was no longer participating in the Shelf Love Challenge.  Instead, I used my Audible credit like it was about to expire or the audiobook was going to be removed or something.

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is for everyone who has had a crazy life or thinks they’ve had a crazy life.  It’s also for everyone who suffers or has suffered from Depression, PTSD, anxiety, or rare diseases for which there is no cure.  For you, get ready to meet a person who understands just what you’re going through and will make you laugh until you’re rolling on the floor, crying, and probably peeing your pants.  I don’t know how I was able to drive to and from work for the week it took me to get through this book, but I didn’t have any road rage while I did it.  I was too busy laughing.

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Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Current Reads:

  • Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
  • The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice – for the Never-Ending Anne Rice Reading Challenge.
  • The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
  • Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
  • The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith

InkdeathLestat Fairyland

Serafina Fangirl Life

Finished:

  • Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea by Diana Marcellas
  • Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
  • Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • Emissary by Thomas Locke
  • Billy Lovecraft Saves the World by Billy Lovecraft

Mother Pretend Alice
Emissary Billy
DNF:

  • Escape From Netherworld by David Kuklis
  • Sadie Sugarspear and the Weeping Willow by Nicole Arlyn

Escape Sadie

Challenges:

Total pages read: 1285

Total # of books for the year: 25.  I’ve got a lot of reviews to write, thanks to Bout of Books 16 🙂
My Top Commenter: Thank you to everyone who stopped by during Bout of Books or to cheer me on for #FitReaders 🙂
What are you reading this week?

Monday’s Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Current Reads:

  • Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
  • The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice – for the Never-Ending Anne Rice Reading Challenge.
  • The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
  • Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
  • The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith

InkdeathLestat Fairyland

Serafina Fangirl Life

Finished:

  • Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea by Diana Marcellas
  • Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
  • Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • Emissary by Thomas Locke
  • Billy Lovecraft Saves the World by Billy Lovecraft

Mother Pretend Alice

Emissary Billy

DNF:

  • Escape From Netherworld by David Kuklis
  • Sadie Sugarspear and the Weeping Willow by Nicole Arlyn

Escape Sadie

Challenges:

Total pages read: 1285

Total # of books for the year: 25.  I’ve got a lot of reviews to write, thanks to Bout of Books 16 🙂

My Top Commenter: Thank you to everyone who stopped by during Bout of Books or to cheer me on for #FitReaders 🙂

What are you reading this week?

Bout of Books 16: Day 7 Progress and Wrap-Up

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week-long readathon that begins 12:01 am Monday, May 9th and runs through Sunday, May 15th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are entirely optional. For all Bout of Books 16 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

 

The Boyfriend made breakfast and then we read together some more.  I finished Emissary by Thomas Locke, and Billy Lovecraft Saves the World by Billy Lovecraft.  Then I started Sadie Sugarspear and the Weeping Willow by Nicole Arlyn, but DNF’d it after a couple of chapters.  After I had walked off that bit of horribleness, hoping it wouldn’t give me nightmares, I didn’t feel like starting another book, so I went back to what I had been reading before Bout of Books started and picked up InkDeath by Cornelia Funke.   The Boyfriend finished The Gunslinger by Stephen King and started the second book in the series, The Drawing of the Three.
I did far better reading-wise than I thought I would.  Finishing five books in a week is something I haven’t done in a long time, and certainly not while also starting and DNFing two others.  I think this Bout of Books was just what I needed to knock out a large chunk of my ARCs and get back into hardcore reading mode 🙂  I look forward to Bout of Books 17 in August!
  • Total Time Read: 40 Hours and 7 Minutes
  • Total Pages Read: 1285
  • Books Finished: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea by Diana Marcellas, The Emissary by Thomas Locke, and Billy Lovecraft Saves the World by Billy Lovecraft.
  • Total Number of Books Read: 5

Bout of Books 16: Day 6 Progress

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week-long readathon that begins 12:01 am Monday, May 9th and runs through Sunday, May 15th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are entirely optional. For all Bout of Books 16 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

 

Saturdays are even better than Fridays.  The Boyfriend and I decided to have our weekly date in the afternoon instead of the evening.  We went to get tacos for lunch and then went back home to read together 🙂  I DNF’d Escape From Netherworld by David Kuklis and got through most of Emissary by Thomas Locke.  The Boyfriend started reading the copy of The Gunslinger by Stephen King that I loaned him.  He read about half of it in one sitting.  That’s not typical for him, so it’s obvious he loves it, and that makes me very happy 🙂
  • Time Read: 10 Hours 15 Minutes
  • Pages Read: 330
  • Books Finished: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea by Diana Marcellas.
  • Total Number of Books Read: 3