Bout of Books 14 Day 6 Update

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.


I participated in the Twitter chat and was fun as it always is. I also finished The Girl with the Windup Heart by reading 43% in one day. It was a good ending to the series. I finished Breakfast at Tiffany's which I started a couple of weeks ago and I am still processing my thoughts on this one. I watched the movie years ago and I don't remember it being like the novella, but I may have been too young to pick up on some of it. I read to chapter 5 of The Iron Trial and I think it will work for the freshman reading challenge. It will just be a little on the easy read side.

I hope to visit a few blogs today and read a bit more. I would also like to do Sarah's mini-challenge, especially since I have not completed any mini-challenges this time.

Bout of Books Day 4 and 5

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.


I wasn't home to write up my reviews of Days 4 and 5, so I am combining them into one post.

No socializing these past two days, but I did read 75 pages in Aphrodite the Diva and I have started a reread of The Iron Trial. The Iron Trial is one of our books for our High School Reading Challenge that the high school librarian and I work on each year. I hope to socialize a bit more today, but we will see.

Bout of Books 14 Day 3 Update

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.

Day 3 Update: I finished Tris' Story, so one book down! I read 15% on The Girl with the Windup Heart and am a little over halfway through with it, so really good reading day. Lots of stress at work, so that is all I accomplished today.

Bout of Books 14 Day 2 Update

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.

Day 2 Update: I finished about half of a CD of Tris' Story, but that was about it on reading. I did manage to comment on 5 blogs, so I did get a bit of socializing in.

Bout of Books 14 Day 1 Update

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal.

Day 1 Update: Well I had to drive 4 extra hours today to pick up free furniture for our branch library from another library who was getting new furniture. I was able to listen to most of Circle of Magic: Tris' Story by Tamora Pierce, 3 whole CDs worth! That is all I was able to do, but that is a start.

ARC August Week 2 Update

ARC August hosted by Octavia and Shelly!

This is hosted by Octavia and Shelly at Read.Sleep.Repeat.

Harlequin Teen

I am about 42% in The Girl with the Windup Heart. I love this series and I am having a hard time getting to the end, because I don't want the series to end. I have finished my book club books and a few books I need to read for my class, so I should be able to devote more time to my ARCs. I also started Oblivion this week and am 9% in.

Atheneum Books

I also hope to start A Whole New World, since it is my TBR read this month. How are you all doing with the challenge?

Disney Press

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

I read this one for the Newbery Challenge. This was a Newbery Honor book in 2014.

Greenwillow Books

Billy Miller is about to start second grade with his best friend Ned. He is a little nervous, because during the summer he had a bad fall, which led to a knot on his head. He worries he could have problems with his brain, but his father assures him that this will be the Year of Billy Miller. Billy's teacher uses the Chinese New Year, The Year of the Rabbit, followed by the Year of the Dragon, to bring a little outside culture to her group. As Billy embraces his year, he faces a bully, grows up a little, helps his parents, and is a good older brother to his little sister. Billy learns that we have to embrace our fears and focus on the good in life to have a spectacular year.

This was a really sweet book written from a second graders perspective. It lacks the usual hard luck and heartbreaking themes the Newbery crew usually embraces, but that makes it a book I would actually recommend to lower elementary. Children will be able to relate to Billy and parents don't have to worry about a sad ending. I do love a lot of the heartbreaking Newbery's, but it is refreshing to have one that is just a sweet story. Kevin Henkes is a talented writer and illustrator and this will be perfect for his fans who have grown a little past books like Chrysanthemum. I will definitely be recommending this one to parents. 4 cups of cocoa!