♈How It Works Ten books each month is a lot, so there will be 5 different levels. Pick which level you want to do and that’s how many items you will need to check off.
♈Aphrodite’s Month! The Month of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. Read a book where two characters have sexy time! – Stormwalker by Allyson James ♈ This month’s astrological sign is Ares the ram and Taurus the bull. Ares are fiery, bold and full of passion. Taurus are stubborn, aesthetic, and chill. Read a book where two characters butt heads. – Firewalker by Allyson James (Janet & Coyote) ♈ We made it through the 1st quarter of the year! Either read the 1st book in a series or the 4th. – Sm(B)itten by Delilah Devlin ♈ The 7th of April is no Housework day. Read a book all day. – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott ♈ The 14th The Mighty Unsinkable Titanic…sank. Read a book marked Historical or something sad happens. – The Help by Kathryn Stockett ♈ Earth day is the 22nd this year, so read a book that takes place on Earth. – First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung ♈ Since our Southern Hemisphere friends are experiencing their October, read a Halloween/Spooky book. – First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (Grim reaper story) ♈ Leonard da Vinic was born in April. Read a book with either a painter or a scientist or where someone learns to fly. – Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs ♈April is full of famous birthdays! Queen Elizabeth II, Debbie Reynolds, Emma Watson, and of course ME! Read a book with a celebration – Oceans Between Us by Helen Scott Taylor (wedding) ♈ April 19-25th is Library Week! So borrow a book, check out a book, get a book for free and read it. – Eldest by Christopher Paolini (a gift)
We love our heroines fierce, intelligent, strong, confident, and witty… Get to know some of your favorite Warrior Women by completing a minimum of 5 tasks and earning the Vampire Heart… Good luck!
Rules: ~ Read a minimum of 5 books to receive the Vampire Heart. ~ Rereads are allowed ~ No minimum page count ~ One book per task ~ All genres are welcome
Houseplants have made a big comeback lately, fueled in part by increased popularity among millennials. In addition to adding style and color to our décor, they detoxify our air and some have medicinal properties as well. In honor of International Plant Appreciation Day (April 13), this challenge is based on some of today’s most popular houseplants, according to greenfreshflorals.com (where we found all the photos).
THE TASKS
1. Part of the succulent family, the aloe vera plant is good to have around the house. It helps clean the air, and the gel inside the leaves can be helpful for a myriad of things, most notably to ease the pain of burns. The leaves of the plant can grow relatively tall and taper at the end. Each blade has small spikes along the edges and is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. 📌 Read enough half step books to equal or exceed 150 pages; tell us how many pages for each book OR a book set in a location beginning with a letter in ALOEVERA; tell us where – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below)
2. The dragon tree (Cracaena Marginata) has narrow green leaves with cream and yellow colored stripes running through each. The plant can be as tall as fifteen feet and grows rather fast for the first few years. Although easy to maintain and care for, it is toxic to cats and dogs 📌 Read a book with a main character whose first name begins with a letter in DRAGON; tell us the name OR a book with an intact “15” in its page total; tell us how many pages – The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Aibee)
3. The tall fiddle leaf ficus (Ficus lyrate) is known for its broad lyre-shaped leaves and height. In its native African habitat, the plant can grow as tall as 100 feet, but indoors the fiddle leaf grows in the range of two to ten feet tall. 📌 Read a book with a musical instrument or notation (notes, staff, rests, etc.) on the cover; post the cover OR a book with a character who is described as tall; tell us who – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Laurie)
4. The giant bird of paradise (strelitzia nicolai) is another tall plant that is a stunner in its natural landscape. The Bird of Paradise looks like a fountain, with its blue-green leaves sprouting from the center. The flowers on this plant have white leaves and blue centers, or tongues. 📌 Read a “giant” book (500 pages or more); tell us how many pages OR a book with a bird name in the title or author name; post a link to the author’s GR page if using that option – Eldest by Christopher Paolini (704 pp.)
5. The low-maintenance Pothos is suggested by experts for the beginning houseplant ‘parent.’ The broad, variegated, heart-shaped leaves run the length of the plant that can extend for many feet if left to grow in the right conditions. It is poisonous to cats, dogs, and even children if ingested but only if done so in large quantities. The sap of the plant can cause allergic reactions in some people. 📌 Read the first book in a series; tell us the series name OR a book by an author who has caused an “adverse reaction” from you in the past; post a link to the author’s GR page – Stormwalker by Allyson James (Stormwalker series)
6. The snake plant (Sansevieria) got its name from the tall and narrow shaped leaves, spotted with white and yellow stripes or shapes, that grow from the center of each plant. This plant is toxic to pets, but on the plus side, it helps detoxify the air. 📌 Read a book in which a named cat or dog plays an important role (not just a pet); tell us the animal’s name and briefly explain the role OR a book in which poison is involved; briefly tell us how – Surrender to the Highlander by Lynsay Sands (Laddie and his relationship to Edith; Edith is poisoned)
7. The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia), named for its scientific name Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, is often mistaken for an artificial plant due to its waxy coating, oval-shaped leaves, and the way the stem starts off thick at the bottom and tapers to a point at the top. 📌 Read a book by an author whose first or last name begins with Z; post a link to the author’s GR page OR a book with a character who earns his/her living as a scientist; tell us the character and the field – Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs (Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist)
Duration: 1st April – 30th April 2020 Number of books: 3 Hosted by: Bookworm Bitches
There are 3 tasks, you only need to read three books to finish this challenge. Or pick one task and read 3 books for that one task.
April – Adversity 1. Read a book about a marginalized character (LGBTQ, POC, disability, etc.) – The Help by Kathryn Stockett (POC) 2. Read a book where the character surmounts impossible odds (chosen one, quest, etc.) – Stormwalker by Allyson James (crazy, bitch, demon mother) 3. Read a book that puts you at ease since out whole life is full of adversity at this point – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Rules ~Books must be read during the selected time period. ~Post the date you finished the book. ~All books read for challenges can be used for more than one challenge. ~Books can be either Fiction or Non Fiction. Your choice. ~At the end of the challenge, it will be closed for commenting and moved to the archives folder ~Use the add book/author tool to tag your book within your challenge.
War is upon the half-bloods as they prepare for battle against the Titans, knowing that the odds of victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.
While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.
Except Percy is running out of time as the long-awaited prophecy surrounding his sixteenth birthday finally unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.
I already knew what was going to happen in this story – I’ve read the novel that it was based on. But it was still beautiful and stunning. Almost impossible to forget. There is just something so beautiful about this graphic novel. It’s a lot lighter than some of the graphic novels that I tend to read. It’s also great to see a graphic novel interpretation that actually envisions things like I did. It didn’t ruin my perceptions by being something so totally different.
Spending the night reading this graphic novel made me want to go to my shelves and grab yet another Rick Riordan novel. I kind of need to finish / start the Kane Chronicles, so it’s definitely something that is insanely tempting… but I probably need to finish some of the series that I have already started.
I found the Last Olympian novel a bit of a darker storyline than the rest of the series. Yet, somehow, this was quite a nice, light book. Both in the gorgeous colours and the way that the storyline is set out. The more horrible parts don’t take up a large portion of the storyline, but they do still feature. In a way that makes the tale a little more uplifting and bright than what I was expecting.
This was a great, easy finish to the graphic novel adaptations. It was a good way to spend an hour just drifting back into an amazing world that I’m not all that keen on leaving most of the time.
Title: Long Walk to Freedom Author: Nelson Mandela Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Biographies, Politics, Race Dates read: 1st – 21st February 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Novel Publisher: Abacus Year: 1994 5th sentence, 74th page: Your father’s letter mentions nothing about a brother.
The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela’s destiny. Emotive, compelling and uplifting, Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader.
I was actually a little disappointed by this. I’m absolutely fascinated by Nelson Mandela, and I looked forward to finding out a little bit more about the man behind the power and story. I didn’t really get much of that from this story. To me, it was mostly about politics, not actually about the journey and the story of the man. Not exactly my cup of tea.
Don’t get me wrong, this entire thing was very well written. And gave fantastic insight into the challenges faced in South Africa. The political landscape, the segregation, the ways in which Mandela’s Xhosa ancestry and life was structured. Everything was so beautifully detailed and told. But I wanted to know about the people that the man loved. The people that he cared about. The emotions. You just don’t get that in this story.
Alright, I know that Mandelawas a politician, so I expected this to be mostly about politics. And law. And human rights. What I didn’t expect was it to just be about this. And that’s where I was a little disappointed. Whenever someone influential is mentioned, their characteristics aren’t discussed. It’s their political acumen and knowledge that is described. I wanted to know much more about the person behind this.
This is an interesting read, and one that I would suggest to others in the future. However, it’s not really my favourite read. I got through it all because the writing was really good, but it took me a lot longer than I had expected because I just couldn’t quite sink my teeth into it…
Title: Cosmobotica Author: Costi Gurgu & Tony Pi In: The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk (Sean Wallace) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Dieselpunk, Space Dates read: 21st February 2020 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2015 5th sentence, 74th page: He heard a click, then over a clear frequency, the voice of Razvan Ilie, his machinist.
The moon landing is in jeopardy and the robots can’t fix it. How will the day be saved?
This short story was kind of reminiscent of Illuminae. Or at least, that’s how I found it. Space ships. Mysterious forces taking over. Robots. It was a fun little adventure. One that was just enough to give me a break in the middle of my studies.
I loved the fact that the lead man was a bit of an older one. One who thought that the battle would be won by the young. I loved that it didn’t end up that way.
This was an easy, short little read. There isn’t a great amount to say about it, because although it was fun, it also wasn’t earthy-shatteringly interesting or engaging. It was just… simple. Exactly the kind of story you need when you’re seriously stressed out.
Title: The Fault in Our Stars Author: John Green Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Death, Young adult Dates read: 12th – 14th February 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Penguin Books Year: 2012 5th sentence, 74th page: Um, Support Group Hazel?
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
INSIGHTFUL, BOLD, IRREVERENT, AND RAW, The Fault in Our Stars brilliantly explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.
I knew as soon as I grabbed this book that it was going to be sad. I mean, it was all over the media how tragically beautiful it was a while ago. What I didn’t expect was that I would finish it and feel like my heart could have possibly grown ten sizes. Kind of like the Grinch. It was that moment of painful WOW that I just sat there in shock.
There is a great sense of honesty throughout this story. A lot of stories which talk about illness (let alone cancer), especially in a child talk about how wonderful and accepting the child is. How they’re an inspiration. Ya da ya da ya da. What happens in this story is that there is no sense of god-like hope and wonder to the child. Hazel isn’t always optimistic, but she is brutally honest. And I love this honesty. I’ve been around people with cancer and terminal illness… they’re dying, they don’t have this ray of sunshine all the time and it was so damn nice to read a story that was so freaking honest about that fact.
We all remember our first love. Whether it was the forever love, or puppy love. That first person is special. I love that this is a story about falling in love, even under the worst of circumstances. And then what happens when you lose the one person you love? That was the part I found hardest – imagining either myself or my partner going through the loss of each other. Imagining a world in which that one person you love above all else is gone… and yet, it didn’t feel completely sad. There is a gratefulness to the fact that they got to love one another. Even if it was just for a short period.
Even days after reading the book (I had to take a breath and a pause because of all the feelings)… I still don’t have words for how majestically powerful this story is. It will hit you in the heart, very potently. But not in the way that necessarily leaves you sobbing in the corner. Don’t get me wrong, you will sob. But you’ll also remember all of the wonderful, happy, joyful and loving things in life. It will remind you to live.
