30 Book Challenge 2015

Alrighty.

So this is a challenge that I tried to do last year and I failed. Miserably. I worked so much and so much of my time was taken up that I utterly ran out of time for reading. I'd get home, crack open a book and fall asleep within the first few pages. That said, I wish to read more in 2015. I truly do. I've decided to do the 30 Book challenge again and this year I aim to succeed. I shall then write a review of each book after reading it and give you my recommendations. I got so many wonderful books for Christmas and it'd be a great thing to read them all this year. I feel really positive about this. Fingers crossed! Watch this space...

Review + Response: Return to Labyrinth pt 1 by Jake T. Forbes and Chris Lie

For my 2014 Reading Challenge I decided to read 'Return to Labyrinth' by Jake T. Forbes and Chris Lie. I know that this isn't a book as in a book with paragraphs and pages of prose but fuck it. This is my blog. It's my challenge. This is a book with pages and words and everything so I say it counts, okay?

Released via Tokyopop, this is a fun imagining of what would happen after the events of the Labyrinth film. It follows a grown up Toby, rather than the familiar Sarah, as a new protagonist who is drawn into the Labyrinth when it is in a state of political discord. I'm not a big reader of manga and I've never delved too far into anime but I did enjoy the first instalment in this series. I was a huge fan of the Labyrinth film. It gave me another reason to fall head over heels in love with David Bowie. This first instalment is light-hearted fun that

It's a fun adventure with some familiar faces and it sets the series up nicely. It's simple: if you liked Labyrinth then check this out - even if you're not a regular manga reader.

Review + Response: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

I finally got around to reading The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman and what a fantastic book it is! It's such an interesting fantasy tale. Sometimes writers can find it hard to write something within the fantasy genre that is both unique and interesting. Gaiman, as ever, has managed to pull it off. Gaiman has created quite a surreal yet strangely rooted tale.

The story follows an unnamed protagonist as he returns to the town he lived in during childhood to attend the funeral of his late father. Whilst there he begins to reminisce and remember certain fantastic events from his past. The books deals with themes like growing up, the childhood/adulthood divide, the search for courage and the battle to find your own identity. I was utterly captivated by the Hempstock family. I'm craving another book that explores them and their lives and history in greater detail. These are powerful, wise female characters who really shape the story. This book was peculiar yet pleasurable as it created a sense of wonder via some fairly surreal settings and imagery.

How I'm Doing With My 30 Books In A Year Challenge!

Ok, it's almost March! So let's see how I'm doing with my 30 books in a year challenge: terribly. I'm doing terribly. Between work and life I've been reading a stupidly low amount of books.

I've just finished Return to Labyrinth and I'm moving onto the second in the series. Sure, they're more like manga/graphic novels but it's a book. There are pages and everything so it freaking counts. After that I'm looking to tuck into some Philippa Gregory for the first time ever. I can't believe it's taken me this long to get to reading some of her work.

2014 Reading Challenge: How Am I Doing So Far?

So I took it upon myself this year to try and read 30 books within the year and then review them on this blog.
So far I've read Wildthorn by Jane Eagland and It's Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. Admittedly that isn't much. In fact it's hardly a dent in my reading list. I'm going to have to really pick up the pace in February which, with a writing challenge on the cards for this month too, is going to be very difficult. I have several really great books to read so I'm really going to try and get into them over the coming weeks.

Ugh.
Fingers crossed I have time to fit everything into the week.

Reading.

In 2013 I created a "To Read" list of books I wanted to read and now that I'm hoping to complete a reading challenge this year, 30 books in a year, let's see how many of these books I shall be able to read in a year.

I've already read a few books on the list like Looking For Alaska, The Great Gatsby, The Help, etc. I still, however, would like to continue making my way through the list. I have several of the books on the list but am yet to read them. Now I shall try to read a minimum of ten books from this list this year.

What are YOU hoping to read in 2014?
Let me know in the comments section of this blog.

My 2014 Reading Challenge [30 Books in 2014]

One of my New Years Resolutions was to make sure that I read 30 books in the year 2014. Admittedly, one of my problems is that I have real trouble focusing on a book or sticking to one at a time. However I will try to make my way through 30 books this year. This may not seem like a lot but, considering that there are 52 weeks in the year, it'll be an exercise in commitment because I'll really have to make sure I get through 30 books, almost one per fortnight. I might write up a list of books to get through by the end of 2014 so that I can tick them off and keep a record of what I've read here on the blog. I feel very positive about this.

Will you join me on my 2014 Reading Challenge?
What book do you want to read this year?

2014 Reading Challenge

So I've set myself a 2014 reading challenge.

The aim is to read roughly 50 books in the 52 or so weeks within the year. This averages at about a book each week which may seem easy for some but, for me, will be an exercise in discipline. I aim to keep a record of the books I read this year, even writing reviews on as many as I can, but I thought I'd share with you a list of some of the books I have bought and have laying around, still unread. I suppose this is more for my benefit than yours but if you have the same book as me and are yet to read it why not join my journey and read along with me or why not create your own 2014 reading challenge?

Some of the books I hope to read this year:

• Eden by Paul Stuart Kemp
• The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jonny Wingfield
• Beneath A Rising Moon by Keri Arthur
• Monkey's Birthday and Other Stories by Simon Crump
• Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
• The Pain Merchants by Janice Hardy
• The Harsh Cry of the Heron by Lian Hearn
• Nos4a2 by Joe Hill
• The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Dante Trap by Arnaud Delalande
• The Temptress by Paul Spicer
• A Christmas Story by Stephen Benatar
• \Written on the Body by Jeannette Winterson
• Of Beasts and Beings by Ian Holding
• Daisy Fay and The Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg
• Bitten by Kelly Armstrong
• A Diamond as Big as The Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A Child of the Jago by Arthur Morrison
• The Children of  Húrin by J.R.R Tolkien
• Too Far by Rich Shapero
• The Toymaker by Jeremy de Quidt
• The Vampyre by Tom Holland
• The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice
• Escape From Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
• Instant Mom by Nia Vardalos
• Lips Touch by Laini Taylor
• Dracula, The Undead by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt
• Pride And Prejudice And Zombies by Seth Grahame Smith
• Sex Life by Pamela Stephenson-Connolly
• The Iron King by Maurice Druon
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Affinity Bridge by George Mann
• Twilight Time by Simon Crump
• The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee
• Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
• Indian Love Stories by Sudhir Kakar
• Oranges are Not The Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson
• Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda: The Love Letters of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald

...and many more.

This is, of course, just based on a perusal of my book shelf. 

I simply hope to have read at least a few of the above books by the end of the year so that I can share my thoughts on them with you and hopefully open up a discussion. If you have any book suggestions then tweet me and let me know!

Reading ahoy!

So I've started on my 2014 reading challenge. I'm currently reading Wildthorn by Jane Eagland and then I'm planning on reading It's Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini followed by Lips Touch by Laini Taylor. I'm so excited! If you have any good books to recommend then please let me know. I'm currently downloading a bunch of free eBooks onto my iPhone. Got a recommendation? Let me know.