Fallen by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen	Loved it	Graded
Author: Lauren Kate
Genre: PParanormal
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Elements: Resurrection, reincarnation
Series: Book 1 of a series

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

When you open the book, right away you're greeted with a prologue. I'm a bit on the fence about prologues. They usually have one purpose, and that's to show how things were in contrast to how things are now. I liked Fallen's prologue. It was romantic and showed the mystery and connection the characters shared. Unfortunately, that also means that I knew what to expect in the coming pages. Lots and lots of negativity between those two.

The premise is interesting. Luce Price has been thrust out of her home and sent to a reform school in the middle of nowhere, which seems just perfect for mysterious fantasy things to happen. I liked this fish out of water element because it shows how supportive Luce's parents are. Even though it's told that Luce was sort of a party girl before, it's not obvious from the way she behaves and thus it doesn't convince me, and I'm left to imagine that Luce has always been the way she is. However, it does work in the sense that it shows how haunted Luce is, and how hesitant she is to fall for someone new.

Nothing interesting really happens throughout the book until the climax. This could merely be because I'm partial to plot, action and character driven stories. There are a few scenes where she meets Daniel, but even those lack passion as she is always rebuffed by him. During those times when Luce actually makes effort to communicate with Daniel, the poor girl is given a cold face. I believe in olden times this is called a direct cut. And since Daniel is supposedly this very old guy, shouldn't he have the mannerisms and politeness of people in times past?

Apparently not. For an angel, he sure acts the opposite. Jerkface. When I commented that Patch from Hush, Hush was an asshat, at least it was obvious that he wanted her. In this case, Daniel acts like the jock who has to brush off the unwanted attention of a needy schoolmate. I really am not a fan of Daniel. Especially when he does throw around clues that refer to their past, and pretty much cockblocks her attempts to find out what the heck he's talking about. It is almost as if he longs for the Luce in the prologue, or the Luce he first met rather than the Luce now, whom he despises because he cannot have her.

The supporting characters leave a lot to be desired, especially after the big reveal at the end. Their development was somewhat stinted in the front, and only after the climax did they start to show some more personality. Out of all her friends, I like Luce's best friend, Cameron-the-other-love-interest and the old librarian. They had the most chemistry with Luce despite the  scenes, and definitely made up for the lack between Luce and Daniel.

Fallen has an interesting premise, but fails to deliver in most aspects due to the imbalance between the halves of the story, until the climax where everything seems to come in such a rush that it should have been a longer part of the book. However, as this is the first book in a series, I do hope that Daniel's chemistry with Luce will improve. Maybe not to such a 180 that it doesn't match the Daniel I know (and dislike) now, but in gradual degrees. What was revealed in the ending is definitely something that I would love to explore, along with the backgrounds of the characters.

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell

Title: The Rise of Renegade X	Loved it	Graded
Author: Chelsea M. Campbell
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Egmont
Elements: Superhero
Series: Stand alone

Damien Locke knows his destiny--attending the university for supervillains and becoming Golden City's next professional evil genius. But when Damien discovers he's the product of his supervillain mother's one-night stand with--of all people--a superhero, his best-laid plans are ruined as he's forced to live with his superhero family.

Going to extreme lengths (and heights), The Rise of Renegade X chronicles one boy's struggles with the villainous and heroic pitfalls of growing up.

It's the best book evah!!!1!

*shoves evil twin away* It's the best book evah!!!1! It has everything I wanted in a book, which I didn't think was possible. I am honestly finding it difficult to say what I loved about the RoRX (read: everything) so I'll just put down a list. People, this is why I don't review books I have read, loved and put away for a while. The story, the characters just sit in my heart and brain comfortably. The thought of reviewing it just seems silly. I'd rather just have you guys find the wonder for yourself and be pleasantly, extremely surprised. This is just the full meal of a book, guis!

But for you people, I shall try.

1. The cover. It's sort of like a comic book, but it's also like a movie scene. Damien is wearing his costume looking oh so yummy. Instead of a serious look on his face and a cape swishing about his broad, manly shoulders, you have him smirking enigmatically onto the streets below. Trouble is his name. The Maharani of Mayhem and Mysteries approve. The font!!

2. The back cover. It is an epic mashup of comic/graphic novel and book. Hmm, Damien and co. in graphic novel form would be really nice. Especially if the same artist who did the cover does it.

3. The plot. AHAHA! Amazing, truly amazing. Everything is really likeable, from the pranks, wisecracks to the villains. They're all kooky and weird in a good way. Also, Campbell makes superheroes look like the boring, and not exciting people they truly are. Zzz. *smiles contentedly*

Okay, here's a teaser to sate your appetite while you're waiting for your Amazon order to process.

Footsteps pound up the stairs. "Kat, honey, I thought I heard something," her mom calls. She pushes the door all the way open, quickly surveying the situation, her eyes flicking from me on the floor to Kat on the bed. "I told you to leave this open." She drags the octopus over to hold the door open as wide as possible. "Were you two...?" She struggles to come up with the right way to phrase it. "...sitting on the bed just now? I thought I heard squeaking."

You know, while copying down the teasers, it occured to me that this book is written in present tense. Usually, that would make my right eye twitch. This just shows that when it's done right, and when the storytelling is engaging enough, things like that are not a concern.

Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Neilson

Title: Forbidden Sea	Loved it	Graded
Author: Sheila A. Neilson
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Elements: Mermaids
Series: Stand alone?

When Adrianne comes face-to-face with the mermaid of Windwaithe Island, she is convinced that the mermaid means her harm. After all, the island is steeped in stories of mermaids' curses and the ill-luck that they bring.

But Adrianne is fierce-willed and courageous and is determined to protect her family and the islanders from danger.

Yet when the islanders find out about Adrianne's encounters with the mermaid, her family is scorned. They believe that once active, the mermaid cannot be quieted until an islander sacrifices herself to the sea.

But is the legend true? And will their fear make them force Adrienne to test it? This is a haunting story of love, surrender and strength.

This is the first mermaid book I've ever read. That's not to say that it focuses mainly on mermaids and life underwater. Nielson has written a finely crafted story about a girl who doesn't want to be a mermaid. And that has to be the best introduction to the mermaid genre for me.

The main character, Adrianne is a good role model* in all aspects. She comes from a humble background, and she works back breakingly to support her family, unappreciated, while nursing a crush on her long time friend Denn. It broke my heart seeing the lengths she went to, and it made me appreciate my life a lot more.

The mermaid factor lingers in the background the whole time. It was subtle, creeping into Adrianne's life as days passed. I would like to say that it made me worry about her fate, but I knew she was going to be okay because the whole story is in first person view. Sure, she could die, but this is a story about mermaids, not ghosts. Are there ghostly mermaids?

The climax isn't so much a climax, but a wild wave. And when it happened, I was relieved because it was finally there. The underwater supporting characters were alive in contrast to the mainland, human characters, with the exception of Cecily and Denn who have a great influnce on Adrianne. Somehow I just got the feeling that the other characters were not that important to the plot.

All in all, this is a wonderful story to read. I liked reading it because it made me feel like I was along on the ride. It's relaxing, it has characters that are self sufficient. The underwater descriptions are especially vivid. I would like to see more of the underwater universe.

*I don't usually focus on how good the main character is as role model, because you choose what to take away from the book. (and if it's bad morals, really, don't blame the book. Just because the character is reckless or doesn't give to society doesn't mean you have to follow. Grow a backbone.)

Adam Lambert's New Documentary on Fairy Dances

I'm a long time fan of Adam Lambert, and so it was with major excitement (and a little apprehension) that I greeted the news of his venture into the unknown. Specifically, Adam's going deep into the forests, where no human has come out alive or sane, to integrate into the Unseelie Court's society.

First, he has to have the suitable disguise. Look at his pained expression! Oh Adam. I adore you more, especially for having the guts to get down and dirty with the fairies. Those spikes are UNREAL. I bet they fit right in. That costume must have been hard to replicate, but then again, who knows how fairies look like?

Except Adam, that is. Kudos. I admire your bravery. Especially faced with unidentified foes that have been caught on tape for no longer than a split second. Luckily, while watching the documentary, I had the presence of mind to take rapid screenshots. And here you go! The first ever documented still of a fairy. It looks like an acrobat spinning hoops masterfully. It is so creepy how they do that: make our minds see things that we can accept.

Adam has chosen to go for one of the most renown fairy practices: the dance. I'm not sure where he found a large enough fairy ring to accommodate the number of fairies he's dancing with, and I don't think the location is going to be disclosed to us anytime soon.

Here are some more stills. I am in awe, ladies and gentleman. Especially to think that Adam has come out unscathed from the fairy ring--one wonders what might have been traded for his safe return. Some say that he's been hired to be Prince Ash's doppelgänger.

Look at him now, and look at Ash smirking. That fairy prince has a lot of secrets; this might just be one of them, and only Adam and Ash will know, ey?

Adam is above, and Ash is below. They are practically indistinguishable! Or perhaps Ash is above and... er. Meghan sure won't like the way that redhead is looking at Ash. Or Adam. I'm confused now. Maybe that's Puck in disguise.

I'm leaving you now with one last look at Adam, surprised at having been caught on tape. Though I'm not sure why he's surprised. (Ash?) Thank you so much for this wonderful documentary. I've learnt more about fairies than I ever did reading about them. A special thanks to the Unseelie Court for giving us this look into their society and cultural practices. I don't know how Adam and the crew managed this uncensored footage, but it's truly amazing.

You can watch it here:






Thanks to Nicole at Word for Teens for the original idea. Special thanks to Julie Kagawa for her amazing book The Iron King and the other stories set in the same universe. Without her wonderful creations and characters Ash and Puck, this tiny spoof wouldn't have been possible. Most of all, thanks to Adam Lambert for this wonderful video. I love the setting, the atmosphere and the costumes. Most of all, I love you and your music. Fangirl here! And Adam, your cool points have gone waaay up for using a lion from the lion dance in your video (pictured below).


Added: Julie, I found your alien! It's a lion traditionally used in Chinese lion dances!

I'm a lion, here me rawwwr!

My American cousin is above. He went to pursue stardom.

A Day with Aunt Agonies Jamie and Mae

Jamie, top 3 hottest guys in school. Start!
From least to most, Seb (Except I hate that guy) McFarlane, Nick Ryves, except I think he might be a serial killer, he has the cold dead eyes of a serial killer, but, you know, a pretty foxy serial killer. And Mark Skinner, because he loaned me highlighters and pencils all through one year of school, and being kind is hot.

Definitely an underrated hotness factor. What’s the craziest or funniest moment that you had with each other?
We have crazy funny moments every day that ends with y, we couldn’t even pick a top ten…

Mae, why is Mae West such an inspiration to you?
Oh, and… top 3 hottest guys in school. Or out of school. ;)
Nick. Anzu. Seb. (Sarah: Stupid hot demons. Don’t even get Mae started on the other one…)

Mae West had a boyfriend who was forty years younger than her, Mr California, and said he’d been put on this earth to love her. She had a different boyfriend who was black – when her landlord objected to a black guy paying calls – Mae West bought the building.

Also she said many brilliant things, among which: Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can't figure out what from.


That is a good question actually. If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?
Jamie wouldn’t let the demon in. Mae wouldn’t be fooled again by anyone.

*whispers* So Jamie, what’s going on with you and a sandy haired magician?
Jamie pleads the Fifth.

Mae, you're known for your pink hair. Any intentions of changing it?
No current plans to do so…

A curious soul was asking—why not red?
Why would red be the other choice? I’d rather something like blue. Redheads get stereotyped as fiery, blondes as dumb. No use putting yourself in a box.

What would your perfect date consist of?
A challenge.

The fans want to know, what makes each of you so swoonworthy?
Sarah: I wasn’t aware people thought Mae and Jamie were swoonworthy… very pleased to hear it, I guess it must be their big brown eyes and quick wit…

So what’s next for all of you?
Unimaginable suffering. And romance!

I like that. :P Thanks so much for this little chat! Here’s the real aunt agonies part: now that we’re all trapped in this tiny little room with no way to get out except for that window about 20 feet up, how to you suggest we get out? Erm, do you smell smoke?
Probably brimfire from all the demons

Well said! Now let's get the heck outta here.

A Day with Aunt Agonies Nick and Alan

Sam and Dean Winchester, who in my eyes are of the same level of cool and hotness( does that even make sense?!) as the Ryves brothers. 


Thanks so much for agreeing to this little interview. I swear that I’m not working for any Circles, am not a magician, messenger or demon in a possessed body. My eyes are naturally black, thank you. Not that I have anything against demons in po- Shutting up now.

Alan, book bloggers everywhere are asking:
What’s your idea of a truly good book? We need the title stat!
Alan: I love a classic! Ivanhoe. Vanity Fair. Can’t get en… where are you going?

I’ve just finished reading a truly great paranormal YA book, and I’m looking for one that has elements of danger, witty dialogue and charismatic characters. What would you recommend?
Alan: I don’t actually read much paranormal YA, it is too reminiscent of my real life…

That is true... I suppose we could read a book of your life. That would be interesting, except for the, yknow, real life aspect. What do you think the secret to true love is?
Alan: I wish I knew, then perhaps I could find it.


Nick, do you know how to do the Riverdance?
Nick: No.

Do you notice how girls are constantly ogling at you, how does that make you feel?
Nick: Sure. It makes me feel like today is probably a day ending in y…

>.> What's the worst thing you and Alan have ever run from? What happened?
Nick: Well, the night our father died and Alan got crippled would qualify as the worst night so far, but we’re young yet…

Where's the best and worst place that you've lived in? Don't freak out, but we know a lot about you.
Nick: I didn’t like Scotland. I did like Exeter… before all the trouble got started.

Both of you have a very close bond. How do you solve your sibling rivalry?
Nick: What sibling rivalry? I’m Team Alan.
Alan: What sibling rivalry? I’m Team Nick.
Sarah: When it comes down to it, they’re always on each other’s side, even before they’re on their own.

How many demons do you encounter in say, a year?
Well over a hundred… but they keep coming back.

Favourite way of killing a demon.
Nick: Sword.
Alan: Gun.

Method of information extraction?
Well when they just tell you something that’s nice and easy, but mostly you have to get the knives out.

If you were granted three wishes, what would you ask for?
Alan: Love.
Nick: New car. New sword. No questions I can’t answer, especially ones about the L word.


Lucky I didn't ask you anything about the 'L' word. Though I'm not sure if you're referring to the one ending with a 't'; I think you'd be partial to that. ;) Check out Jamie and Mae's interview tomorrow!

Sarah Tells US Tales! Part 2

Since the third book is from Sin’s POV, will we get to know more about the effects on Sin’s siblings?
The effects of… the latest book, or the magical world in general? The answer to both is yes: Sin’s siblings matter more than anything else in the world to her, and Lydie and Toby will be in the book plenty, with new adventures falling on their heads. Since they’re really young, there’s an added sense of danger there: Sin is keenly aware of her responsibility to them, and how vulnerable they are.

Did you originally write TDL as a trilogy or did you envision it as a stand alone book?
I tried to do both: I wrote the Demon’s Lexicon trying to make sure it could stand alone, but also hoping I would get the chance to write the trilogy I envisioned. So far, so lucky!

Why did you decide to show the story from three different point of views: Nick, Mae and Sin respectively? Why not from Alan or Jamie’s point of views?
Changing narrators every book was definitely an unusual decision: I don’t think I realized how unusual it was until I had all my poor readers going ‘what is she doing, the woman must be MAD.’ But I find it both challenging and rewarding (those words again!) to switch narrators, and show a whole different side of my world and my characters each time. I chose the narrators who were positioned to tell the stories that went together best, and the stories I wanted to tell most – the people who are perhaps the most surprised and most changed by what happens to them.

Besides, I always figure Jamie’s book would be a million words long, as he’s a talker, and Alan’s would be like ‘Here’s the plan. Let’s wait a few hundred pages for the others to catch up. And tell me… how have you been?’

Perfect. A talk show and a therapist session. ;)  If it were up to you, what would your epitaph say?
Shiver not as you pass by
For as you are so once was I
And as I am so you will be
So be prepared to follow me

It’s an old Victorian epitaph, and I find it most excellently creepy!

...me too. The world of The Demon’s Lexicon trilogy is fraught with danger, excitement and many many plot points. How do you exactly keep them all straight?
It’s not hard! Seems natural for a lot of things to happen in books, for me - they’re about adventure. I don’t much care for books that are all just ‘staring deeply into each other’s beautiful violet eyes,’ for instance – I like a lot going on. Plots. Duels. Love. Death. Rooftop chases. Invading enemy fortresses. That sort of thing. And I trust my lovely readers to keep up with me.

Okay, music! You can choose only one theme song for each of the books, and Nick, Alan, Mae, Sin, Jamie and Gerald. (Okay that's a lot) What would it be?
Nick: John Gorka’s ‘Raven In the Storm’ – ‘I am the darkness in your daughter, I am the spot beneath the skin. I am the scarlet on the pavement. I am the broken heart within.’
Alan: Vienna Teng’s ‘Harbour’. ‘The light in me will guide you home. All I want is to be your harbour.’
Mae: Cake’s ‘Short Skirt Long Jacket’: ‘I want a girl with a mind like a diamond. I want a girl who knows what’s best.’
Sin: Melissa Etheredge’s ‘The Different.’ ‘Come dance with me now... Don’t you want to know? What the dark and the wild and the different know.’
Jamie: Yes, well, um, this one is embarrassing, but Taylor Swift’s ‘Fifteen’. Oh sweet Jamie, when somebody tells you they love you, you’re going to believe them.
Gerald: I actually forced my friend Karen Healey (author of Guardian of the Dead) to choose this one. The 88, Minuet Menace. ‘I don’t believe in anything I can see Except bits of you and possibly bits of me’

Mae's theme song is Chuck's theme song. Captainess Awesome? Paranormal is hot out there, along with the kinds of creatures it produces. What's your favourite paranormal creature?
Obviously I am Team Demon. I feel demons do not get the love they deserve, in a world of vampiric, werewolfy and angelic boyfriends! (Team Angel is obviously my nemesis… we’ll take those feathery fools down…)

Which actor/singer/musician is the best representation of how Nick, Alan, Mae, Jamie, Sin, Gerard would look like IRL?
Oh, I don’t really pick out actors myself, though I am always intrigued when other people do, and I’ve never thought about singers or musicians as them before! I have such a decided picture of them in my head, I don’t really relate other people to them, even though certain actors have flashes of them. Rachael Leigh Cook has flashes of Mae, for instance.

Myself, and probably many others, are familiar with your blog, Sarah Tells Tales. It is an inspiration to me. Just putting it out htere. You have your very own dedicated fan club, the Marmalade Fish community on Livejournal. I mean an actual Sarah Rees Brennan fan club, and not just the TDL trilogy fan club. When did you first find out about them?
When Joy and Trish, the moderators of the community, asked me if they could set it up! Of course they said yes. The Demon’s Lexicon trilogy definitely has a small (perhaps I should say select!) but really devoted fan following, and I feel really lucky to have it. (Not that I’d object if it got bigger. All are welcome…)

I definitely love that you communicate directly with your fans. Would you like to give them a shout out, especially the Marmfish?
Sure. Shout out! Thank you all for reading and caring about what you’re reading – it’s a privilege to know you.

Thanks so much for the interview, Sarah. It's great to know that your books are as fabulous as you are. And how sweet is that?! (The interview, not my comment.) Tomorrow: find out whose team Nick and Alan are on!

Sarah Tells US Tales! Part 1

Describe the trilogy in seven words, no more no less.
Hot boys love brave ladies magic swords! (It wasn’t meant to be… a whole, comprehensible sentence, was it?)

What do you find are the most rewarding and most challenging aspects of writing?
My friend Holly Black summed this up once ‘Writers always like to challenge themselves. And it seems like such an adventure to start with! And then it turns out challenging yourself is HARD!’ All of writing is challenging and rewarding at once: usually the most challenging bits end up being the most rewarding.

Who's your current book crush? What would you do if you met him/her?
Barron, the evil older brother from already-mentioned Holly Black’s latest book, White Cat. And if I met him, I would get out of his way fast. That boy’s nothing but trouble.

Handsome, handsome trouble.

What are you reading at the moment?
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews, the latest in the Kate Daniels series.

Stop reading now. What's the last sentence you just read?
‘I missed you.’ (D’awwww. Grumpy werelion and snarky mercenary lady in looooooooove.)

Who's your inspiration for Nick? We want to know. Oh we DO. Surely he didn’t try to entice you through a drea- wait, that’s entirely possible.
Sadly I don’t have a direct inspiration for Nick! He’s lots of things for me, all rolled into one: a way to talk about love and language, a way to take apart the ideal ‘tall dark handsome guy of few words’ and think about how that role is kind of disturbing. I wanted to incorporate elements of horror-movie villains in Nick, and see what would happen if said horror-movie villains tried to become something else. I wanted to address the idea of the supernatural bad boy in fiction, and not to wimp out on him – to make him really truly mad bad and dangerous to know, with consequences, seeing him from inside his own head, and also make him compelling and even lovable.

The depiction of realistic sibling relationships is often put on the back burner for romance in YA. This is not the case in TDL and TDC, where they focus on Nick and Alan, and Mae and Jamie’s relationships. Why did you decide to focus more on that?
I love romance in a book, but I have to say I did think I’d seen plenty of YA focusing on romance to the exclusion of everything else, so I did think it would be fun to write books focusing on family. Especially since sibling relationships can be so fraught in your teens – living with someone you’re very close to, and may be really different from, I thought it would be interesting to focus on sibling relationships: loyalty, betrayal, and enduring love.

Stay tuned for the second part tomorrow, along with more goodies from the characters!

The Demon's Lexicon Trilogy week

And the winners in order:
Becky (Contacted, replied)
Melissa @ 1lbr (Contacted, replied)
Rafaela (Contacted, replied)
Ekta (Contacted)

Congratulations! The winners have been contacted about their prizes, so winners, don't worry if you haven't received an email yet. Once you have been contacted, you will have two days to reply. If you don't reply, another person will get the prize.

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Hello everyone! Sarah Rees Brennan is here with us this week to tell us more about herself, her characters and the amazing Demon's Lexicon trilogy, which I have gushed about here and here. There'll also be contests, and it'll be open internationally. Can I hear a cheer for Sarah?

There'll be four winners.

You stand a chance to win:
a poster
an audiobook of Demon's Lexicon
a signed copy of Demon's Lexicon
a signed copy of Demon's Covenant

The first winner gets first pick of one item, second winner gets seven pick and so on. Ends 18 June. Leave a comment on every post, including today's, along with your email. That's five entries! :)

Fifth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

Forty-eight (and accidental 50 minutes) hour mark: Reached!
Hours read: 48 hours 20 minutes
Hours networking: 30 minutes
Pages read: 4258
Books read: 13
⇒Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, 368 pages
⇒The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell, 352 pages
⇒Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White, 384 pages
⇒The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, 368 pages
⇒Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (Audiobook)
⇒Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson, 320 pages
⇒The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger, 336 pages
⇒The Mark by Jen Nadol, 240 pages
⇒Ash by Malinda Lo, 272 pages
⇒Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev, 352 pages
⇒Terrier by Tamora Pierce, 608 pages
⇒The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, 322 pages
⇒The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting, 336 pages

Forty hour mark: Reached! (I can't believe it either!)
Read:
⇒Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
⇒The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell
⇒Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White
⇒The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
⇒Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (Audiobook)
⇒Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson
⇒The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger
⇒The Mark by Jen Nadol

Now onto:
⇒Ash by Malinda Lo


Twenty four hour mark: Reached!
Read:
⇒Brightly Woven by Alexandra Brackeen
⇒The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell
⇒Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White
⇒The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
⇒Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (Audiobook)
⇒Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson
⇒The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger
⇒The Mark by Jen Nadol

Now onto:
⇒Ash by Malinda Lo

Six hour mark: Reached!
I've decided to donate the full amount no matter how long I last in this challenge. Mumsy's keeping me company right now. She's reading a Suzanne Enoch book. Reviews up soonish! The audiobook's taking a break, so now onto Chelsea Campbell's Rise of Renegade X, which is going to be absolutely amazing.

Last year my goal was to have at least 48 hours of reading time. This year, my goal is to make a sizeable dent in the TBR pile during the challenge, then churn out those unwritten reviews during the Bloggiesta next week. I love how these things go. *grin* A wee bit of housekeeping goes a long way!

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12:34am: Oh god, I'm exhausted. This whole week has been nonstop exams and projects. While reading is relaxing, my brain needs a wee bit of rest. Nevertheless!

Two books done:
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White

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It's almost 7pm here on a lovely Friday night. I'll be reading my way through the weekend as part of this wonderful challenge. It doesn't just have great prizes*, it gives me an excuse to donate and fill my daily quota of 'good'.

For every hour that I read, I'll be donating $1 to a local literacy charity (incomeless student) and 10 clicks to The Animal Rescue Site and its other causes. Might I ask for your help in donating clicks there?

If you're interested in donating any prizes, sponsoring or supporting, here are the details.

I'll be cheering the other participants on during my breaks and checking out my competition. :P

Till Monday!

Aim
Time: 48 hours
Books: 10 + 1 Audiobook

Book 1:
Forget Her Nots by Amy Brecount White





* I should know. I was a lucky winner of a Catching Fire ARC last year.