And Done!

I finished the 48 Hour Book Challenge this morning at 11 o'clock. Sadly I did not finish the book I was reading, though I was very close. I was reading Dragonhaven by Robin Mckinley, a book I had been looking forward to reading ever since I heard it was coming out because I am a big Robin Mckinley fan. I was waiting to buy the paperback but this weekend I broke down and just took it out from the library. I figured it was a much cheaper option considering how much of my nearly non-existent money I had spent on books lately. So far however it is really good and it is just too tempting to add it to my Mckinley collection so when I find it in paperback I may just buy it anyways.

Since I havn't finished the book I cannot give a very good reveiw, but so far I think it is living up to her previous books that I have adored. The way its written and how the story is told as if the main character was writing it down after everything had happened is very effective. I can't wait to finish it!

Hours: 10 Hrs, 10 Mins + 7 Hrs = 17 Hrs, 10 Mins

Total Books Read = 3 (and 3/4)

Total Pages Read=327(WS) + 325(L) + 376(RN) + 256(D) = 1284

Funny how the least amount of pages read took the most time. I guess the pages were a little bigger, but I was also probably getting a little tired.

All in all I really enjoyed taking (most) of this weekend off to read, and I would love to do it again next year, but hopefully with my full health and less busy weekend. :D

48 Hour Book Challange - The Red Necklace

I never thought I would make it through the three books I most wanted to read this weekend, but I have!

The Red Necklace - Sally Gardner

A historical work of fiction set during the French revolution. With a little twist on reality, many of the charcters in the novel can work magic, read minds, tell the future, or move objects with their minds. Not in a huge obvious Harry Potter kind of way but a quite secret way that makes you believe as if that kind of magic is possible. The main focus of the book is not however the magic - it is the characters and their struggle to survive during the revolution. My university mind clicked in and began noticing a theme, that of the "sheep". Many times through out the novel people are described as sheep, blindly following the herd even though the herd is headed towards slaughter. I thought this was a very well written book, one that I believe could be studied in school to educational benifit and to the students enjoyment.

Hours: 5 hrs, 30 Mins + 4 Hrs, 40 Mins = 10 Hrs, 10 Mins

Edit: I forgot to add; so far all three of my books have mentioned Shakespeare. Wondrous Strange used Midsummer Nights Dream heavily in its plot, A Midsummer Nights Dream was briefly mentioned in Lament, and in The Red Necklace an acter quoted Shakespeare. It is tempting to continue the Shakespeare trend but the only other Shakespeare related book in my TBR pile is "Othello" and I don't feel quite like tackeling that at the moment...

48 Hour Challange - Lament

My second read of the 48 Hour book challenge (first whole book) was Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament". This has been on my TBR pile for some time, and half of me is kicking myself for waiting so long to read it, the other half is quite happy that I do not have to wait as long for the sequal. It's release date is still to far away (a WHOLE summer!!) but it will be worth it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought I might be faeried out after Wondrous Strange, but this book did a original take on fearies I thought. They were still faeries, but it felt different somehow. Ms. Stiefvater's writing style was very fun to read, the voice of Deirdre felt real and unique. And Luke. Such a cutie. It was a suspensful and entertaining read and I would recommend it to fans of faeries or romance, or just YA.

Hours: 1 Hr, 50 Min + 3 Hrs, 40 Min = 5 Hr, 30 Min

48 Hour Challange - Wondrous Strange

I started this book before the challange, but did not get a chance to finish it before and I couldn't just abandon it sooo my first book completed is really only half a book.

Wondrous Strange - Lesley Livington

I have wanted to read this one since it first came out in hardcover, but I waited to buy it untill it came out cheaper in paperback. Wasn't happy to learn the paperback was 20 dollars anyways, but I still went ahead and bought it. What drew me to it was its beautiful cover and the use of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream (a play that holds a special place in my heart). The fact that the main character was an actress was also very cool.

The story itself was pretty good, but besides the Shakespeare element it didn't strike me as too memoriable. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in faeries, or in Shakespeare's plays (At least MSND)

Total hours so far: 1 Hr, 50 Min

And... Go!

This morning decided to bless me with the beginings of a cold. Joy. But this shall not stop me from attempting MotherReaders Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challange. I believe it may actually be an asset... for instance

Mother: Come do the dishes!
Me: Can't *coughcough* I'm sick! *continues to read*

All though I was not able to completly clear my schedual (work, a play to attend, staff party... come to think of it this is one of my more social weekends... >.>) I shall do my best! If any thing this will give me a good excuse to maybe finish even one or two books from my TBR pile.

Edit:

I guess I should state what my 48 hours will be. I started at 11:00 Friday morning and will finish 11:00 Sunday.