Historical Fiction Challenge - Completed

Historical fiction is something i'm slowly beginning to fall in love with. I've always wanted to get into this genre, but for some reason never got around to it. But a lil bit of searching and you can find a whole lotta great books in this genre.
When i signed up for this challenge, i knew choosing level Curious with only 3 books to complete it wouldnt be enough, i'd be reading a whole lot more. But with work and everything else going on, 3 seemed to be a good idea then.

The score is 4 and counting till date..

1 - Loretta Chase - Lord of Scoundrels

2 - Promises Linger by Sarah McCarty

3 - To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker

4 - And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

 

The Historical fiction challenge is hosted at Royal Reviews here.

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100+ Reading Challenge Completed

Phew finally finished this one. I didn't realise till Alaine pointed it out in her post that we didn't have to review all the books we read for this challenge. But since i was only a couple reviews away anyway, figured i might as well continue as before.
Here's the list, a lot of these are Young Adult or cross-genre but I've just clubbed them together under other genres. My favourites for this year have a ** next to them

General Fiction / Contemporary

1. The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga
2. The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy 
3. Amsterdam - Ian McEwan
4. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 
5. False Impression - Jeffrey Archer 
6. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne
7. Jacquot and the Angel - Martin O'Brien
8. The 5 People you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
9. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry   **

Romance /Historical  / Erotic Romance

1. Tempt the Devil by Anna Campbell
2. Wicked Burn - Beth Kery
3. The Horseman's Son - Delores Fossen
4. Menage - Emma Holly
5. Devil in Winter - Lisa Kleypas **
6. Scandal in Spring - Lisa Kleypas 
7. Yesterday - Lora Leigh
8. Dangerous Games - Lora Leigh
9. Dirty Deeds - Lorelei James
10. Photo Opportunity - Jess Dee
11. The Secret - Julie Garwood  **
12. A Tall Dark Cowboy - Mackenzie McKade
13. According To Jane - Marilyn Brant
14. Colter's Woman - Maya Banks
15. Her Best Friend's Lover - Shiloh Walker

Thriller-Mystery

1. The Navigator - Clive Cussler
2. Fractured - Karin Slaughter  

Fantasy

1. A Dirty Job - Christopher Moore 
2. Daughter of the Forest - Juliet Marillier **
3. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
4. The Fellowship of the Ring : J.R.R. Tolkien
5. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien  
6. Graceling - Kristin Cashore  **
7. Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater **
8. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman 
9. The Smoke Thief  - Shana Abé
10. The Princess Bride - William Goldman  

Paranormal / Young Adult

1. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
2. Living Dead In Dallas - Charlaine Harris
3. Club Dead - Charlaine Harris
4. Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris
5. Dead as Doornail - Charlaine Harris
6. Definitely Dead - Charlaine Harris
7. All Together Dead - Charlaine Harris
8. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris
9. Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris 
10. Dark Prince - Christine Feehan
11. Dark Hunger - Christine Feehan
12. Dark Secret - Christine Feehan
13. Dark Legend - Christine Feehan 
14. Dark Destiny - Christine Feehan 
15. Dark Demon - Christine Feehan **
16. Dark Curse - Christine Feehan **
17. Dark Slayer - Christine Feehan **
18. Shadow Game - Christine Feehan
19. The Awakening - Christine Feehan
20. Wild Rain - Christine Feehan
21. On the Edge - Ilona Andrews  **
22. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
23. Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
24. Mastered - Jet Mykles
25. Salvation - Jet Mykles
26. Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost 
27. One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost **
28. At Grave's End - Jeaniene Frost 
29. Destined for an Early Grave - Jeaniene Frost 
30. Touch the Dark - Karen Chance
31. You Slay Me - Katie MacAlister 
32. Fire Me Up - Katie MacAlister 
33. Light My Fire - Katie MacAlister 
34. Holy Smokes - Katie MacAlister 
35. Playing With Fire - Katie MacAlister 
36. Bitten - Kelley Armstrong **
37. Stolen - Kelley Armstrong
38. Dime Store Magic - Kelley Armstrong
39. Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur
40. Kissing Sin by Keri Arthur
41. Tempting Evil by Keri Arthur
42. Dangerous Games - Keri Arthur 
43. Deadly Desire - Keri Arthur 
44. Destiny Kills - Keri Arthur 
45. Beneath a Rising Moon - Keri Arthur
46. Beneath a Darkening Moon - Keri Athur
47. Kiss of Midnight - Lara Adrian
48. Angels' Blood - Nalini Singh 
49. Slave to Sensation - Nalini Singh 
50. Visions of Heat - Nalini Singh
51. Caressed by Ice - Nalini Singh
52. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs  **
53. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs
54. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs **
55. Hunting Ground - Patricia Briggs
56. Masques - Patricia Briggs **
57. Blood Promise - Richelle Mead 
58. Fantasy Lover - Sherrilyn Kenyon
59. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
60. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
61. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
62. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
63. Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer
64. The Host - Stephenie Meyer

J. Kaye, thank you for hosting this challenge. I made this one of my personal targets for this year after signing up for the challenge - so i could get back to reading, something I've always loved doing but had put on the back-burner for the past couple of years. I loved and completely enjoyed myself, and this challenge was step one to my reading challenge obsession. I've now read approx 230 books this year so far ...and there's 2 more months to go

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The Chunkster Challenge 2009 - DONE!!!

Whew.. i never thought i'd be able to finish this one... I love reading chunky books, but it takes a while to find a good one that i can get my hands on, and then review as well.

I'd chosen the Mor-book-ly Obese challenge -  6 or more chunksters OR three tomes of 750 pages or more.


Here's my list:

1.  A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (716 pages)
2.  The Navigator by Clive Cussler (560 pages)
3.  The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (576 pages)
4.  Jacquot and the Angel - Martin O'Brien (544 pages)
5.  Dark Demon (Carpathians, #16) by Christine Feehan (531 pages)
6.  Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (560 pages)

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2009 Young Adult Book Challenge - DONE!!!

This was my first year of reading YA, and i don't think i'd have read that many YA books and just stuck to paperback thrillers and paranormal if not for this challenge. So thanks J Kaye.





My list of YA books
1. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
2. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
3. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
4. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
5. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
6. Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer
7. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
10. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
11. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
12. Blood Promise - Richelle Mead

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2nds Challenge, 2009 - DONE!!!

Another challenge done. This one was fun as it involved reading authors I've only read once before, and it took a while finding good first books so i would want to read another. Click here for more info on the challenge

Here's my list:

1. Mitch Albom: The 5 people you meet in Heaven (Previously read Tuesdays with Morrie)

2. Keri Arthur: Kissing Sin (Previously read Full Moon Rising)

3. Christine Feehan: Dark Secret (Previously read Dark Prince)

4. Jeaniene Frost: One Foot in the Grave (Previously read Halfway to the Grave)

5. Charlaine Harris: Living Dead in Dallas (Previously read Dead Until Dark )

6. J. R. Ward: Lover Eternal (Previously read Dark Lover)

7. Lisa Kleypas: Scandal in Spring (Previously read Devil in Winter)

8. Stephenie Meyer: New Moon (Previously read Twilight)

9. J. R. R. Tolkien: The Hobbit (Previously read The Lord of the Rings)

10. Katie MacAlister : Fire Me Up (Previously read You Slay Me )

11. Patricia Briggs: Blood Bound (Previously read Moon Called )

12. Nalini Singh: Slave to Sensation (Previously read Angels' Blood )

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New Author Challenge - DONE!!!

I didn't expect to finish this one so soon. I've definitely read more than 25 authors by now, but chose to only include those where I've written a review of their books here on the blog.

So here goes

• Anna Campbell
• Arundhati Roy
• Charlaine Harris
• Christine Feehan
• Ian McEwan
• J. R. R. Tolkien
• J.R. Ward
• Jeaniene Frost
• John Boyne
• Keri Arthur
• Lisa Kleypas
• Martin O'Brien
• Neil Gaiman
• Rohinton Mistry
• Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Stephenie Meyer
• William Goldman
• Katie MacAlister
• Nalini Singh
• Patricia Briggs
• Lara Adrian
• Lora Leigh
• Beth Kery
• Kristin Cashore
• Shiloh Walker

For more info on this challenge go here

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1st in a Series Challenge 2009 - DONE!!!

I had fun doing this challenge. Found a whole range of new series I'd never heard of from the reviews by everyone else.

Some of these Series I've really fallen in love it.
1st in a Series Challenge 2009 is hosted by J Kaye and you can find out more here.





My completed List:

1. Stephenie Meyer: Twilight Series - Twilight


2. Charlaine Harris: Southern Vampire Series - Sookie Stackhouse Dead Until Dark


3. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Rings


4. Sherrilyn Kenyon: Dark Hunter Series: Fantasy Lover


5. Keri Arthur: Riley Jenson Series - Full Moon Rising


6. Christine Feehan: Carpathians - Dark Prince


7. J.R. Ward: Black Dagger Brotherhood - Dark Lover


8. Lisa Kleypas: Wallflowers - Devil in Winter


9. Jeaniene Frost: Night Huntress - Halfway to the Grave


10. Katie MacAlister: Aisling Grey Series - You Slay Me


11. Nalini Singh - Guild Hunter Series - Angels' Blood

12. Patricia Briggs - Mercedes Thompson Series - Moon Called

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Once Upon a Time III - DONE

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this challenge.
Although i didn't read all the books i planned to, the 'substitutes' were amazing :)
I had signed up for Quest the First, and here's my completed list

Dark Secret by Christine Feehan
Black Dagger Brotherhood 01 - Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
Jeaniene Frost - Night Huntress 01 Halfway to the Grave
Tempting Evil - Riley Jenson Guardian Series - by Keri Arthur
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My original list has the below books as well, which although i did not get to until now, i will definitely read in 2009. Other interesting books just happened to come in the way, but now worries, their time will come.

Dark Demon by Christine Feehan
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Dark Elf Trilogy - Vol I - Homeland
Julie Garwood - Highlands' Lairds 01 - The Secret
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

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