Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021 Number of books: 58 Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession
Welcome to Benny’s Bawdy Bingo Hall!
Benny has four games of bingo for you to play. You can play all four or just do the ones you want. You must complete at least one card to get the Vampire Heart.
How to Play Achieve a BINGO by completing a row (up or down or diagonally) on the bingo card. A FULL CARD earns you a gift from Benny.
Duration January 1st – December 31st
Rules Rereads welcome All genres welcome No minimum page count A Different book must be used for each task and each board
Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021 Number of books: 26 Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession
This is a reading challenge based on your astrological sign, the element you belong to and the planet that rules your zodiac sign.
How to Play ⁍Let us know the date of your birth and we’ll give you the information on your zodiac sign. ⁍For the initial reading challenge, you’ll receive tasks for your sign, the element you belong to and the planet that rules your sign. ⁍You can start this challenge whenever you want and set your own pace. ⁍ Once you’ve found out all about your zodiac sign you can request an astrological reading and we will give you information about your sign when it comes to three areas: love and sex, career and money and friends and family. ⁍For the reading challenge you’ll receive tasks based on the three areas of love and sex, career and money and friends and family.
⁍When you finish the astrological reading for your sign you can request another zodiac sign (a loved one or maybe just the sign your zodiac is most compatible with) and play again if you like up to 4 more times to earn mini hearts.
∞ Task Challenge Three tasks for each area. You will get three areas read totaling nine tasks per reading.
∞ Spell-It-Out Challenge Using the first letter of a book title, series title, author’s first or last name, or a character’s first or last name to spell out the name of your sign/element and planet.
Weaknesses: Runs from emotional expression, temperamental, uncompromising, aloof
Aquarius likes: Fun with friends, helping others, fighting for causes, intellectual conversation, a good listener
Aquarius dislikes: Limitations, broken promises, being lonely, dull or boring situations, people who disagree with them
Aquarius-born are shy and quiet , but on the other hand they can be eccentric and energetic. However, in both cases, they are deep thinkers and highly intellectual people who love helping others. They are able to see without prejudice, on both sides, which makes them people who can easily solve problems.
Although they can easily adapt to the energy that surrounds them, Aquarius-born have a deep need to have some time alone and away from everything, in order to restore power. People born under the Aquarius sign, look at the world as a place full of possibilities.
Tasks: 1. Read a book published between Jan 20 – Feb 18 of any year – The Flyaway Bride by Langley Gray (8th February 2021) 2. Read a book where the MC is intellectual OR eccentric – The Bride Test by Helen Hoang 3. Read a book where a character is independent or involved in a humanitarian effort OR where a character is aloof or refuses to compromise – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh (both leads are independent and refuse to compromise)
Element: Air This is the element that connects all other elements, even though it might seem less relevant, invisible as it is. Still, this is the element that can be found in all others. The element of Air gives us room to breathe, widens our lungs, and with them, opens our Soul to personal freedom. All signs that belong to this element have a strong need to feel liberated and free. Aquarius is an air sign, and as such, uses his mind at every opportunity. If there is no mental stimulation, they are bored and lack a motivation to achieve the best result. To truly succeed in personal growth and overall development, the most important thing for Airy individuals is to stop talking and start doing concrete, practical moves towards fulfillment. They are balanced by the element of Earth and need a healthy daily routine, with their meals repeated at the same time every day, and physical activity to remain aware of their physical existence. If they forget to eat, for example, this hole in their stomach will have an effect on any rational plan they’ve had. The importance of fulfilling their physical needs is primal and irreplaceable.
Ruling Planet: Uranus Words Associated with Uranus: Freedom, Astrology, lightning, risk, humanity, crossroads, chaos, surprises, separation Colors: Metallic, Silver
The ruling planet of Aquarius, Uranus has a timid, abrupt and sometimes aggressive nature, but it also gives Aquarius visionary quality. They are capable of perceiving the future and they know exactly what they want to be doing five or ten years from now. Uranus also gave them the power of quick and easy transformation, so they are known as thinkers, progressives and humanists. They feel good in a group or a community, so they constantly strive to be surrounded by other people.
The biggest problem for Aquarius-born is the feeling that they are limited or constrained. Because of the desire for freedom and equality for all, they will always strive to ensure freedom of speech and movement. Aquarius-born have a reputation for being cold and insensitive persons, but this is just their defense mechanism against premature intimacy. They need to learn to trust others and express their emotions in a healthy way.
This is a planet of eccentricity and always speaks of individuals who are different, strange, out of the ordinary, in some sort of fight with the system and the state, and among them scientists, astrologers, homosexuals, and all of us who stand out and have a humane initiative to fight for someone’s rights, including our own. It is a planet of gambling, chance, risk, leading us to dangerous activities when afflicted, and sometimes endangering our wellbeing by chance, strange circumstances, or extreme choices that we make in spite of rational opinions, especially those of our fathers. It is a ruler of all humanitarian efforts and doesn’t care so much about the individual as much as the utopian image of our entire society.
Tasks: 1) Read a book with a silver or metallic cover 2) Read a book with a psychic character OR read a book with 3 or more people on the cover – Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper 3) Read a book where the MC is a scientist or gambles or read a book tagged LGBTQ or M/M – Say Everything by Langley Gray
Defeat Lucifer “I will reclaim my rightful place in Paradise. My path will be paved with the sins of Man, and yours shall be the bedrock of my return. And all that is good shall be gone from the universe forever!” Read a book… 1. with over 666 ratings. – James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 2. with an evil character. – Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid 3. where a character has an argument with a family member. – Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey 4. with a man on the cover. – Soul Deep by Lora Leigh
November was a much more settled month. It just didn’t have as much insanity as October. Even though the state went into a really strict lockdown… My change of name also came through which was super exciting!
Title: The Good, the Bad, and hte Undead Author: Kim Harrison Series: The Hollows #2 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Paranormal fantasy, Strong women, Urban fantasy Dates read: 4th October – 28th November 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Eos Year: 2005 5th sentence, 74th page: Brow furrowing, I looked down at my red blouse, black skirt, nylons, and ankle-high boots.
It’s a tough life for witch Rachel Morgan, sexy, independent, bounty hunter, prowling the darkest shadows of downtown Cincinnati for criminal creatures of the night.
She can handle the leather-clad vamps and even tangle with a cunning demon or two. But a serial killer who feeds on the experts in the most dangerous kind of black magic is definitely pressing the limits.
Confronting an ancient, implacable evil is more than just child’s play – and this time, Rachel will be lucky to escape with her very soul.
Finishing this novel gave me a pretty major book hangover… there is just something about Harrison’swriting that has me absolutely, totally and utterly hooked. And in love. And just in my general, serious happy place. It took me a little longer than usual to read this, because I knew that once I allowed myself to sink into the story, I wouldn’t want to look away. Which is exactly what happened. And then, when I finished it… I didn’t really want to read any other stories…
Trent seems to me like he’s completely winning the battle of wits between Rachel and himself. It makes me wonder if he’s maybe not truly the evil, devil man that I originally thought. And, after reading The Turn, I have SOOOOO many questions about what happened to him between the two storylines… I mean, there are so many unanswered questions and… well, things to be answered! It gives me hope that maybe he’s not as truly, deeply evil as I thought, and just messed up and morally grey… although I can definitely attest to the fact that Piscary is most definitely evil. Which is nice. It’s always good to have at least one clear, cut, and dry villain.
Rachel is probably one of the most accident-prone characters that I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a long time. Not accident prone in the sense of physically… but circumstantially? Yeah. She tends to find herself in one horrible situation after another. It serves to not only be an entertaining read, but draws you further and further into the storyline. Completely powerful, completely unforgettable and so much damn fun.
Ivy and Jenks kind of felt like they stole the show a little bit in Dead Witch Walking. They didn’t so much in this, they fell strongly into the secondary character role. That’s not to say that they didn’t still shine. Jenks is still funny, witty and fiercely loyal and independent. I absolutely adore him for that fact. And Ivy? Well, Ivy is one of the most complex and tragic secondary / supporting characters that I’ve had the pleasure of coming across in quite a while. She’s also a terrifying best friend. I mean, who doesn’t want a best friend who kind of wants to eat you all the time?
I seriously loved this novel, and I can’t wait to get through the TBR that is currently sitting next to me so that I can sink my teeth into Every Which Way But Dead. I just need to finish the monster TBR piled next to me first… otherwise, it could fall on my head while I sleep…
Title: Marley & Me Author: John Grogan Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Humour, Memoirs Dates read: 25th – 28th November 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Hachette Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: Dr. Sherman had cleared her to try to get pregnant again.
The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.
John and Jenny were young and in love, without a care in the world. Then they brought Marley home and their lives changed forever.
Marley quickly grew into a 44-kilogram steamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, stole women’s undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around. Obedience school did no good – Marley was expelled. Nor did the tranquilisers the vet prescribed him.
Yet Marley’s heart was pure, and his love and loyalty were boundless. He shared the couple’s joy at their first pregnancy and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. When the babies finally arrived, he was there too – winning hearts while making a mess of things.
Through it all he remained steadfast, a model of devotion even when his family was at its wits’ end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms. Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a larger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.
This novel never fails to make me cry. In fact, since this is the first time I’ve read it since I got a house and dogs of my own, the moment I turned the final page I went looking for my staffy, Onyx, for a big cuddle. And then didn’t let him leave me lap for a good half an hour before I stopped feeling so sad. We love our dogs so much, so the idea of them having shorter lifespans than we do… it’s not something that I like to think about.
I have two dogs, one of which is a beagle (and fellow beagle owners know the trials and difficulties that that can lead to…). Yet, Marley’s antics and insanity most definitely helped to put Lexi’s misbehaviours into perspective. Don’t get me wrong, if she weighed four times what she weighs now… then I think that the destruction and insanity that she would bring down on us would most certainly be comparable. It’s nice reading about another insane dog that doesn’t quite do what its told… it’s a reminder that I’m not alone and I’m not actually a bad dog trainer.
This whole novel is pretty much a love story. To Marley. It’s a great tale about man’s best friend, and a reminder that when we do finally have to say goodbye… they never leave us. Every word in this is lovingly crafted by a master hand. Lovingly and painstakingly telling the story of a dog that is most definitely insane and quite probably completely out of control.
Being my second time reading this, I can clearly and definitely say that its one of my favourite memoirs. In fact, this is the book that got me into memoirs and biographies in the first place. I just hope that one day I have the skill and talent to write something similarly touching and brilliant as an ode to my own dogs.
From a kill-or-be-killed gunfight with a vampire to an encounter in a steampunk bordello, the weird western is a dark, gritty tale where the protagonist might be playing poker with a sorcerous deck of cards, or facing an alien on the streets of a dusty frontier town.
Here are twenty-three original tales – stories of the Old West infused with elements of the fantastic – produced specifically for this volume by many of today’s finest writers. Included are Orson Scott Card’s first “Alvin Maker” story in a decade, and an original adventure by Fred Van Lente, writer of Cowboys & Aliens.
What a fantastic collection. And a great new genre to add to my ever-expanding knowledge of / collection of books. Before reading Dead Man’s Hand and Westward Weird, I had never heard of Weird westerns. And now it’s a genre that I’m seriously keen to find more of. There is just something amazingly fun and awesome about this collection. Very, very enjoyable.
The gunslingers and card players throughout this anthology took me on an absolutely joyous ride. One that I was kind of disappointed finished so quickly. The idea of the wild west has always intrigued me, making this the first time that I was completely able to thrown myself into this fascination.
This anthology didn’t quite get five stars because I didn’t fall head over heels for each and every story. Having said that, I would most definitely read this again. Even those stories which weren’t quite as holy crap amazing as the others.
25 chilling short stories by outstanding female writers
Women have always written exceptional stories of horror and the supernatural. This anthology aims to showcase the very best of these, from Amelia B. Edwards’s ‘The Phantom Coach’, published in 1864, through past luminaries such as Edith Wharton and Mary Elizabeth Braddon, to modern talents including Muriel Gray, Sarah Pinborough and Lilith Saintcrow.
From tales of ghostly children to visitations by departed loved ones, and from heart-rending stories to the profoundly unsettling depiction of extreme malevolence, what each of these stories has in common is the effect of a slight chilling of the skin, a feeling of something not quite present, but nevertheless there.
If anything, this showcase anthology proves that sometimes the female of the species can also be the most terrifying…
This is a fantastic collection. One which I thoroughly enjoyed but learnt fairly quickly that I shouldn’t be reading this late at night… after all, some of these ghost stories are actually kind of scary. And reading them late at night with the wind blowing through the house while you’re home alone… not the best decision making of my life. To be fair, it’s also not the worst…. But that’s a whole other story.
I love that all of these ghost stories are written by women. I definitely believe that we need a collection of women-only writers more often. Or at least, I need to buy more to put on my shelves… although not all of these stories had strong women as the voice, they still felt more relatable than many of the stories that I read by men. I suppose shared experience and all that nonsense.
As a kid, I was never into ghost stories or tales of things that go bump in the night. Although I’ve gotten more into the genre over the past few years, it’s still sometimes not the most powerful driver for me. This collection though is swaying me more and more towards those horror stories.
Bestsellers. Award-winners. Superstars. This anthology has them all.
With brilliantly entertaining short stories from beloved young adult authors Amie Kaufman, Melissa Keil, Will Kostakis, Ellie Marney, Jaclyn Moriarty, Michael Pryor, Alice Pung, Gabrielle Tozer, Lili Wilkinson and Danielle Binks, this all-new collection will show the world eactly how much there is to love about Aussie YA.
This is a fantastic collection, one that I wish was around when I was finishing high school. It’s all about those moments on the cusp of adulthood when the world is stretched before you and you’re suddenly responsible for yourself. It’s kind of a huge, pivotal point in someone’s life, so a collection on this was completely fantastic. And although I’m not exactly that young anymore, this was still a great journey that reminded me of the decisions we make in life.
I love that #LoveOzYA has come up with a collection of Aussie YA authors. This, and Kindred have introduced me to so many new and wonderful authors to fill my shelves with. Something that I’m always looking for. And the fact that they’re homegrown and often write about the areas that I’m more familiar with? It’s very, very much appreciated. I hope that they come out with a new collection soon!
I didn’t know any of the authors in this collection, other than Melissa Keil when I bought it. Now I have a handful of amazing new Australian authors to add to my wish list. Some that will challenge me, some to enthral, and some just to leave a giant smile on my face.
Earth and Skye 