September tbr

This time I won't pressure my self so much, like I did last month. For this month I chose to read only 4, where 3 of them are for my yearly reading challenge. And after that, if there still will be time I'll choose what to read next. 

The first book I decided to read just for fun and because it was on my shelf over a year now. 

Title: The Sound

Author: Sarah Alderson

Pages: 310

Cover: Paperback

Published: 2013 by Simon and Schuster UK

Edition language: english 

When aspiring music journalist Ren Kingston takes a job nannying for a wealthy family on the exclusive island of Nabtucket, playground for Boston's elite, she's hoping for a low - key summer reading books and blogging about bands. Boys are firmly off the agenda.

What she doesn't count on is falling in with a bunch of party-loving private school kids who are hiding some dark secrets; falling (possibly) in love with the local bad boy; and falling out with a dangerous serial killer...

When I finish this one, I'm planning to continue reading/listening book for my "a book based on or turned in to a tv show" challenge. I started this book early this year and still have half of it to finish. Of course I read other books at the same time, so that's why it takes me so much time to finish it, but I really enjoy it. 

Title: A Dance with Dragons

Author: George R. R. Martin

Pages: 1125

Cover: ebook

Published: 2011 by Bantam

Edition language: english 

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdom hangs in the balance - beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east , Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.  

Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way to Daenerys. But his newest allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenery's claim to Westeros forever.

Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone - a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, will face his greatest challenge. For he has powerful foes not only within Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice...

I'm not planning to read all of this book this month, but at least a big chunk of it. At the same time I will be reading book for "a book for your favorite author that you haven't read yet" challenge. 

Title: Just Take My Heart 

Author: Mary Higgins Clark

Pages: 336

Cover: ebook

Published: 2009 by Simon and Schuster

Edition language: english 

After famous actress Natalie Raines is found in her home, dying from a gunshot wound, police immediately suspect her theatrical agent and jealous soon - to - be - ex - husband, Gregg Aldrich. But no charges are brought against him until two years later, when a career criminal suddenly claims Aldrich had tried to hire him to kill her.

The case is a plum assignment for attractive thirty - two- year - old assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace. She spends long hours preparing for the trial, and unaware of seemingly well-meaning neighbor's violent past, gives him a key to her home to care for her dog. 

The high-profile trial makes headlines, threatening to reveal personal matters about Emily, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant - especially when she experiences eerie sentiments that defy all reasons and continue even after the jury decides Gregg Aldrich's fate.

But little does she know now her own life is at risk...

Because I like Mary's writing style and usually fly through her books quite quickly, I hope to finish this one soon enough too. And then I will try to complete "a book more than 100 years old" challenge.

Title: Little Women

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Pages: 528

Cover: ebook

Published: 2009 by Barns and Noble

Edition language: english 

Classic novel of 19th century family life during and after the Civil War, in a household with four sisters. Alcott based the March family largely on her own real - life family. 

That's it for now...Happy reading :)

Bout of books 14 readathon

It is that time of the year again. Time for bout of books readathon which will last from August 17 until August 22. And I'm definitely participating in it :) I don't know if I will be able to do all the challenges (because there will be some), that creators of this readathon organized, but... I will try to reach my own goals:

a) I'll try to accomplish 4 parts of my yearly       reading challenge, by reading 4 particular books.

b) I will try to read as much as possible and also have fun by doing that, because that is the main point of Bout of books readathon. 

c) Everyday I will try to do an update about my reading progress and maybe do some creative challenges here.  

I'm planning to start my reading week, with accomplishing "read a Pulitzer- prize winning book" challenge. For that one I chose to read: 

Title: The Old man and the sea

Author:Ernest Hemingway

Pages: 95

Cover: Paperback

Published: 2007 by Žaltvykslė

Edition language: lithuanian

This is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal - a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream.

Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss.

Hemingway's story will take only few hours to read maximum, because it is so short. That's why on the same day I'm thinking to start another book, which will fit to "read a popular author's first book" challenge:

Title: Looking for Alaska

Author: John Green

Pages: 272

Cover: Paperback

Published: 2013 by HarperCollins Publishers

Edition language: english 

Miles Halter's whole life has been one big non - event, until he meets Alaska Young. 

Gorgeous, clever and undoubtedly screwed up. Alaska draws Miles into her reckless world and irrevocably steals his heart. For Miles, nothing can ever be the same again.

I don't expect to get much from this book, but at least it will help my brains to relax between reading classic books that I've chosen this week. And that bring us to another reading challenges " a book your dad or mum loves" and "a book with antonyms in the title": 

Title: War and Peace

Author: Leo Tolstoy

Pages (book 1): 480

Pages (book 2): 480

Cover: Hardcover

Published: 2010 by Obuolys

Edition language: lithuanian

Tolstoy's epic masterpiece intertwines the lives of private and public individuals during the time of the Napoleonic wars and the French invasion of Russia. The fortunes of the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys, of Pierre, Natasha, and Andrei, are intimately connected with the national history that is played out in parallel with their lives. Balls and soirees alternate with councils of war and the machinations of statesmen and generals, scenes of violent battles with everyday human passions in a work whose extraordinary imaginative power has never been surpassed.  

The prodigious cast of characters, seem to act and move as if connected by threads of destiny as the novel relentlessly questions ideas of free will, fate, and providence. Yet Tolstoy's portrayal of marital relations and scenes of domesticity is as truthful and poignant as the grand themes that underline them.

And if I read something else I will write it in my updates.

That's it for now...Happy reading :)

July monthly wrap - up and August tbr

Well hello everybody :) I know I'm so late with this post, but sometimes life gets in a way. The same goes and with a reading. I confess, that my July tbr was too ambitious and I choose to many books.

Books I've read: 3
Pages in total: 1640

All of those three books belong to a worst trilogy I have ever read. And this series, written by E. L. James,  consists of:

1. Fifty shades of Grey 
2. Fifty shades darker
3. Fifty shades freed

I don't have much to other than I was cringing the all time. The main female protagonist was absolutely childish and ridiculous. That lip biting and blushing from everything, and I mean everything, made me almost mad.  And I don't even have words about that "inner goddess" thing....what the hell was that ?! At first I even tried to count how many times she bites her lip while blushing and thinking about her inner goddess, but I lost the count in the middle of a first book. 

And what can I say about Grey... well that dude need serious mental help.

Also writing style was less than mediocre, and the story line was meh... so I gave this trilogy only 2 stars out of 5.

After that I got into a reading slump, I started other books, but couldn't finish them in time. So I will finish them next month. And that bring us to the August tbr. As you know I planned to read 6 books in July, but that didn't happened. So I will read remaining three this month and those books are: 

1. The storyteller's daughter: a retelling of the Arabian nights, by Cameron Dokey
2. The Devil's star,  by Jo Nesbo
3. Angels, by Marian Keyes

I'm thinking, that I will be able to read them in the beginning of a month, and only then I will choose what to read next. By the way this month will be a "Bout of books readathon" and I will try to participate in it. I will do separate tbr for it later on. 

July tbr

Well I'm starting this month with a one ambitious plan :) for some 6 books may seem little, but for me, who on average reads 4, it's a challenge.

July tbr

I'm already reading first part of "Fifty shades of Grey" by E.L.James and I'm not enjoying it, so my tbr might change slightly. However I've heard, that this series gets much better in later books, so maybe I will finish it. We will see......

Next on my reading list: 

Title: Storyteller's daughter

Author: Cameron Dokey

Pages: 221

Cover: paperback

Published: 2002 by Simon Pulse

In a faraway kingdom, a king has been betrayed. Deeply hurt and bitterly angry, he vows never to be deceived again. Unfortunately, the king's plan to protect himself  will endanger all of the realm's young women, unless one of them will volunteer to marry the king - and surrender her life. To everyone's relief and horror, one young women steps forward. The daughter of legendary storyteller, Shahrazad believes it is her destiny to accept this risk and sacrifice herself. 

After that, if I still have time, I will try to read this:

Title: The Devil's star

Author: Jo Nesbo

Pages: 522

Cover: paperback

Published: 2009 by Vintage books

It seems the city of Oslo has a serial killer on its hands, and Detective Harry Hole is assigned to this case. Only he is not happy with his colleague

Tom Waaler, whom he suspects of arms smuggling and murder. 

Finally if there will be a miracle and and I still have time this month to read I'm thinking about reading:

Title: Angels

Author: Marian Keyes

Pages: 481 

Cover: Mass Market paperback

Published: 2003 by Penguin Books Ltd

Maggie has always been the white sheep of  the Walsh family. Unlike her comically dysfunctional sisters, Rachel and Claire, she married a decent man who adored her and found herself a solid career. Where Rachel were reckless and Claire dramatic, Maggie settled early for safety. Or so she believed until she discovers that her husband is having an affair and her boss going to fire her. Suddenly, her perfectly organized life has become a perfect mess.

If I won't finish some of these I will try to deal with them next month. But for now that's all :)

Happy reading 

June TBR

I know that it's a little bit late, and June already begun, but it is better late than never :)

books for my June tbr

As you can see in the photo, I decided to finish a Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, by reading a last book "The hero of ages". I won't tell what it is about, because I don't want to spoil you. However I'm planning to write a full series review, so luck up for that. For now all I will say, that I'm a little disappointed with this trilogy.

Also you should know that I'm a fanatic for a horror stories and paranormal stuff, so obvious that "The Amityville horror"  by Jay Ansons became my priority. It is a true story of Lutz family, that after 28 days in their new house, fled from it in terror, leaving all they stuff behind.  I'm determined to read this gem this month.

Lastly I'm not sure if I have much time left this month or not, but I will try to read "Red Riding Hood" by Blakley - Cartwright and Johnson. However I think it will depend of when I'll finish "The hero of ages" as that beast of a book is about 700 pages.

At least for now that is my reading plan for June :)

see you later....happy reading