June Reading Round-Up

It is the end of June already and time once again to share what I have been reading this past month.
This past month the total read was 42, with the following breakdown:
Fantasy/scifi – 3
Magical Realism – 1
Paranormal 1
Non-fiction – 1
Picture books – 24
Romance – 9
Women’s Fiction -2

Cozy Mystery – 1

(Ebooks – 8)
(Diverse books – 7)
(TBR books -1)

For the Reading Challenges I participate in, I’ve read these books:

Beyond the Bookends.
The theme for June was to read a book recommended by a friend. I read:

In a Heartbeat by Rosalind Noonan

Monthly Key Word Challenge
The key word I chose this month was “bride” as June is a big wedding month. I read several bridal/wedding books:
The Substitute Bride by Kathleen O’Brien
The Wedding Season by Samantha Chase
His Blushing Bride by Dani Collins

As well, I read 2 books by Roxane St. Clair in her Barefoot Brides series:

Barefoot in Lace and Barefoot in Pearls

Monthly Motif

The theme this month was “Crack the Case”. I read a short cozy mystery – The Art and Craft of Murder by Catrherine Parker

52 Books in 52 Weeks
I read from 3 categories this past month:
A book recommended by a friend – In a Heartbeat by Rosalind Noonan
A book that is considered a classic – The Hobbit by Tolkien
A book about a current world issue (racism, world of Trump) – I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You by David Chariandy

Swords and Stars Reading Challenge.
I read a couple for this challenge:
Read a Fantasy classic – The Hobbit by Tolkien
Read a book with magical realism – Death at Peony House by Krista Walsh

Writers Write Book Reading Challenge
I read three books for this challenge:
4. A book published in 1999 – Mr. Maybe by Jane Green
15. A book set and read in summer – Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
19. A book with a teacher as a protagonist – Come Back to the Ballpark, Maisy Gray by Cynthia Tennent

For June, my top 5 reads were:
Come Back to the Ballpark, Maisy Gray by Cynthia Tennent
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
The Seafront Tearoom by Vanessa Greene
In a Heartbeat by Rosalind Noonan
I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You by David Chariandy
I read so many wonderful children’s picture books this month. My favourites were:
The Magician’s Secret and Hockey Hero by Zachary Hyman
The Magician of Auschwitz by Kathy Kacer
The Artist and Me by Shane Peacock
Charlotte and the Rock by Stephen W. Martin
Hedgehog Needs a Hug by Jen Bretton
Wild Berries by Julie Flett
Vincent Can’t Sleep by Barb Rosenstock
The Night Gardener by Terry and Eric Fan

My goals for July are to continue to read more books on my TBR pile – a must! As well, I plan to read more mg/ya, memoirs, and more diverse books/authors.

 

Linking With:

Book Date

Feeding Your Fiction Addiction

Best of the Bunch

 

 

Slice of Life Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”.

I have just started following the PBS program “The Great American Read”. It is so interesting to see what makes a book special to each person. Each gives a sales pitch for their book.
I’ve checked off the books I’ve already read (38) and I have already voted for my most beloved book, even though there were several I could have chosen (“To Kill a Mockingbird”)
There is such a range of books and genres – from the classics like “Jane Eyre” to fantasy books like “Harry Potter”. There are favourites from my childhood, like “Anne of Green Gables”, as well as thrillers and time travel (“Outlander”).
I’ve decided to take on another reading challenge – one that will undoubtedly take me awhile to complete – to read this list of 100 books. There are many I’ve planned to read (Jane Austen, “The Handmaid’s Tale”) but have just not made the time.

Be sure to check here for the list (and quiz to see how many you have read)and here to vote for your favourite.

What is your most beloved read?

Slice of Life/TOP TEN Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “two Writing Teachers”

Hard to believe that summer is only a week away. 2018 has just flown by.
As I was checking blogs this morning, TOP TEN TUESDAY posts kept popping up in my feed. The topic this week really appealed to me – and it is definitely timely.
I keep a yearly journal and usually start the year with a list of books I want to/plan to read. I have not made much of a dent in this list, so I am moving most to this summer’s TBR list!
Here are my TOP TEN TBR books for summer – I am determined to finally check them off my TBR list once and for all!

1. Glass Houses by Louise Penny. (I have thoroughly enjoyed her series – I have delayed reading this one so there won’t be too much delay to the next one!)
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
3. Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
4. Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
5. Open Heart, One Mind by Clara Hughes
6. The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
7. The Hobbit  by Tolkien
8. Holes by Louis Sachar
9. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
10. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

Many of these are books I started but haven’t finished. There are a range of genres and both newer and older books.

I am participating in several  Summer Reading  Challenges:

Goodread’s Ultimate Summer challenge

Summer 2018 Reading Challenge – read any 7 of 20 listed themes

Early Bird Summer Reading Challenge – read 6 books from listed topics

here – check it out here.
What books are you planning to read this summer?

 

Slice of Life Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”

I saw a post by Wendy at Falconer’s Library and was intrigued by the idea about answering questions about one’s reading. It has been making its way around the blogosphere. Wendy answered 20 questions – I am choosing ten of these.

Ten Questions answered by This Reader

1. How many books are too many books in a book series?
It really depends on the series. I have read :  Sue Grafton series – which is 25 books;  Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series with 13 books and Charlaine Harris’s 13 books of the Sookie Stackhouse series. – to name a few.

Often there is a trilogy and although I try to read all books in a series, sometimes the second just doesn’t grab me (as the second book by Brittany Cavallaro). I find that when a character grabs me, I want to read more, so a trilogy is just right.

2. Hardback or paperback?
I will read either – which ever I can get. I prefer an actual book to an ebook, but I have been enjoying the free books from Freebooksy – to check out the first in a new series, or an author or for just a fast read.

3. Favorite book?
Right now, my favourite book this year has been Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley.
But other 5* s lately have been:
Fantasy books by Jaleigh Johnson
The Family Gathering by Robyn Carr.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

The Hidden Memory of Objects by Danielle Mages Amato

Favourite picture books this year have been:

You are Stardust by Elin Kelsey

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo

Stolen Words by Melanie Florence

The Specific Ocean by Kyo Maclear

And Middle grade/YA books:

Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

Fantasy Books by Cecil Castellucci, and Jaleigh Johnson
4. A book you’re currently reading?
I just finished Mr. Maybe by Jane Green today (and enjoyed it) so  I’m struggling a bit over what to read next. It will either be The Storefront Tearoom by Vanessa Greene (have started it tonight) or The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline (It was a finalist in “Canada Reads 2018″)
I have started several books and need to finish:
Leonard by William Shatner
The Hobbit by Tolkien
The Writing Diet by Julia Cameron

5. Last book you recommended to someone?
That’s easy – Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

6. Favorite author?
I have many – Louise Penny, Susanna Kearsley, Robyn Carr, Jill Shalvis, Sherryl Woods, Mariah Stewart to name a few novelists.
And there are so many picture book and MG authors! – too many to list!

7. Buying books or borrowing books?

I buy too many books – but I tend to frequent thrift shops and yard sales when I can. (I will buy books of favourite authors or special art books though – usually I can’t wait til it is at the library!)   My bookshelves are crammed with books – my TBR list is huge. But now that I am retired, I am slowly working my way through it!
I am always reserving books at the library though – and am there several times a week picking up books.

(I will buy books of favourite authors or special art books though – usually I can’t wait til it is at the library!)

8. Can you read while hearing music?

I can read through almost anything. Once I am deep into a book, I am deaf to what is going on around me most of the time. I read in the car, on planes and trains, in lines, while waiting for appointments. I can really read anywhere.
I do prefer music in the background though if possible.

9. One POV or multiple POV’s? (POV’s = Point of views)
I enjoy both.

10. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?

It really depends on the book and the time I have available. If I start a book in the evening, I often will read til I am finished, whether it is midnight or 3 in the morning.

 

May Reading Round-Up

Time once again to share what I have been reading this past month – this has been keeping more accountable for the reading challenges I am taking part in.
This past month the total read was 27, with the following breakdown:

Fantasy/scifi – 3
Middle grade/YA novels – 2
Non-fiction – 0
Picture books – 6
Romance – 9
Women’s Fiction -3

(Ebooks – 4)
TBR books -1
I read these books for the Reading Challenges I’ve joined:

Beyond the Bookends.
The theme for May was to read a royal love story. I read an ebook:

The Royal Trade by Erin Hayes

Monthly Key Word Challenge
The key word I chose this month was “dog” and the book I read was a YA book –

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

52 Books in 52 Weeks
I read from 5 categories this past month:
A book set in the Middle East – Catch a Dream by Wendy Brown-Baez
A book with a 6 – word title: The Quest to the Uncharted Lands by Jaleigh Johnson
A book by a Canadian Author : Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley
A book with bad reviews – The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro
A book on my TBR shelf: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Swords and Stars Reading Challenge.
I read   Secrets of Solace –by Jaleigh Johnson–Read a book with a map

Writers Write Book Reading Challenge
I read two books for this challenge:
A novel based on a true story – Catch a Dream by Wendy Brown-Baez

A novel with a month in the title: The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro

 

For May, my top 5 reads were:
By far my favourite was: Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley
Also:
The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.
Secrets of Solace –by Jaleigh Johnson
The Quest to the Uncharted Lands by Jaleigh Johnson

My goals for June are to continue to read more books on my TBR pile, as well as to read different genres, especially mg/ya, memoirs, more diverse books/authors.

June 1 starts a new reading challenge which looks very doable, as well as interesting. Amy Young of “The Messy Middle” is hosting the ”Summer 2018 Reading Challenge.” She provides a list of 22 categories and you are to read at least 7 of them. I am challenging myself to read all 22. Wish me luck!

 

 

Linking with

Book Date

Feeding Your Fiction Addiction

 

Best of the Bunch