#AYearAThon

What is it?

There is a set theme every month and you have to read as many books relating to that theme as you can within the time frame given (a week).

Who started it?

I saw the announcement video on Alyssa from ACReads you can watch the video here.

What am I doing to take part?

I'm going to aim to take part in every months theme and try and read as many books as I can during the week long readathon. I will also be blogging/vlogging the weeks progress as I go. My BookTube channel is linked here. I will announce the books I'm aiming to read for the week in my months wrap up/ TBR posts/videos, as well as reviewing each book I complete on here. You can join in to by joining the #AYearAThon group on Goodreads here. And by vlogging/blogging your progress via your blogs/YouTube channels (if you have them).

Dates and Themes of #AYearAThon:

February 3-9: Harry Potter
March 3-9: Twilight
April 7-13: Re-readathon
May 5-11: Finish/catch up on a series
June 2-8: Rick Riordan
July 7-13: Classics
August 4-10: Middlegrade
September 1-7: New Adult
October 6-12: Stephen King
November 3-9: Fairytale Retelling
December 1-7: Graphic novels/manga


Let me know if any of you are going to participate!

Bout of Books 9.0

This is my blog post declaring my intention to take part in Bout if Books 9.0. What is Bout of Books? Read below:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I took part in and loved the last Bout of Books read-a-thon (8.0), so of course I was going to sign up for this Bout of Books. Bout of Books 9.0 starts tomorrow: Monday 6th January at Midnight and finishes on Sunday 12th January at Midnight. So basically you have a whole seven days to read as much as possible.

When I took part in Bout of Books 8.0, I didn't do as well as I hoped I would. I think this was largely due to me setting myself an unrealistic goal and picking too larger books. This time round, I'm still setting myself a large target of books to reach but I think there more achieve able this time as they are a lot smaller. 

So what am I going to read? I hear you ask. 

Well, just before Christmas, I found two series I read back when I was younger. I remember really enjoying them so I took them out of storage with the intention of re-reading them and Bout of Books seems like the perfect opportunity to get that done. I also have a book I'm currently reading that I'm hoping I can complete during the week too. 

The books are:

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (my current read):

Image from Google

 

The Consequences Series by Laurie Depp:
 

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- Don't Call Me Baby (#1) 

- The Camera Never Lies (#2)

- Runaway Girl (#3)

- Secrets, Lies and Videotapes (#4)

- Holding the Front page (#5)

- I'm with the Band (#6)

The Tim Bowler Collection: 

Shadows - Tim Bowler                                                           Starseeker - Tim Bowler

 

Image from Google

Image from Google

 

 

 

 

Dragon's rock - Tim Bowler 

 

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                                              River boy - Tim Bowler

 

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Storm catchers - Tim Bowler

 

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                                           Midget - Tim Bowler 

 

Image from Google

Total books I'm attempting to read is 13! 

As part of this read-a-thon is to also document your progress, I've decided to do daily blog posts as well as daily vlog like videos on my YouTube channel, which you can find here. I'm also hoping to tweet throughout the week with updates as well as chatting to many of the other participants too. You can follow me on Twitter by clicking the Twitter icon at the top of this blog, which will take you directly to my page.

Please leave a comment if you will be taking part in Bout of Books 9.0 and tell me what your planning to read during the week. 

If you are taking part good luck! 

The Running Vixen by Elizabeth Chadwick

About the Book:

 

Image from Google

Rating: Amazing

Pages: 336 

Released: 1991

Published by: Sphere

 

-information from Goodreads

 

 

Synopsis:

Heulwen has grown up with her father's ward: Adam de Lacey. There's always been a connection between them. But when Heulwen marries Ralf le Chevalier, the devastated Adam goes away on diplomatic missions for King Henry I. When Ralf is tragically killed, Heulwen's father considers a new match for her in the form of his neighbour's son: Warrin de Mortimer. But Adam's returned and is determined not to lose Heulwen a second time. But as Adam discovers a plot that threatens the King and Country he unknowingly places Heulwen in danger...

 

First Line:

"On the day Adam de Lacey returned to the borders after an absence of more than a year, the monthly market at Ravenstow was in full, noisy cry, and the numerous witnesses watched and whispered behind their hands as the small disciplined entourage wound its way through their mist."

 

Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting with all my favourite elements: action, suspense, an easy to hate villain and most importantly, a gorgeous love story between the main characters. Heulwen's and Adam's relationship is just so realistic, you get completely swept away on their journey to love. Their love is just beautiful to read and the ending just leaves you envious of their partnership. Definitely not for youngsters, this novel contains mature content and scenes that are so emotionally written you actually get a psychical response when you read them. This book is jam packed with emotions, and its just a wonderfully written book and a delightful read. 

 

Recommended Audience:

Definitely a book for adults, due to the mature content in this book. But definitely a must for fans of historical fiction.  

 

Bout of Books 8.0 Wrap-up

So Bout of Books 8.0 has come to a close and it's time for the last update/wrap up. Bout of Books is definitely an experience I would recommend to avid readers. It has done wonders for my reading slump, and even though I read less then I thought I would it has rekindled my passion for reading. Which, if truth be told, was my biggest factor for taking part in the Bout of Books readathon in the first place. 

An added bonus to this experience was meeting and interacting with new like minded individuals that I hope will now become friends. Since doing Bout of Books and filming my progress (badly) over this past week, I have discovered what a fantastic community the world of booktubers, book bloggers and avid readers are out there. It was an unexpected yet very much delightful discovery to make. 

If you didn't catch my videos, here is my finally stats:

Books finished: 2

Books started: 4

Pages read in total: 1250

Books I aimed to finish: 6 

Total pages I aimed to read: 2553

Number of back up books read: 0

Number of challenges: 2 

Overall, not what I planned to accomplish but it is a lot more then I've read in ages so I'm happy. I will definitely be taking part in the next Bout of Books. 

HELP! I'm in a reading slump!

I was having a really good couple of reading months, managing to read 7 or 8 books in a month. But recently I've had no urge to pick up a book what so ever, and that is very unlike me.

I love reading, I always have done. But sometimes I do fall into a reading slum, I don't always no why but it happens to the best of us.

I just don't want to be in one now! I miss reading and want to get back into reading ASAP, but I can't and it's starting to get me down.

I need help! Can anyone leave a comment on how you get out of a reading slum??

Please I need your help!