Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon End of Event Survey

1. What hour was most daunting for you?

I think hour 19 was the most daunting. That's when I kept nodding off and doing that weird head jerk thingy. I finally just gave in and fell asleep. 

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a reader engaged for next year?

I read Trespassers by Todd Wynn and Tim Wynn during this Read-a-thon and it was a really good and fun read that kept my attention. 

Synopsis:

When four alien visitors arrive on Earth and disappear into the cornfields of Indiana, it is Stewart Faulkner’s job to find them. Who they are, where they’re headed, and what’s important enough to make them jump from a moving spaceship are all questions that Stewart must uncover. And he will have to do it all while 

1) training a new team member named Mindy—who is developing a crush on him; 
2) flying under the radar of his boss to make sure he’s not removed from the case; and 
3) staying one step ahead of a government agent named Karl Bruner, who is determined to expose the presence of aliens on Earth.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season?

Honestly no. This was my first one so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I enjoyed every single moment of participating and I can't wait until the next one!!

4. What do you think worked really well in this years Read-a-thon?

Everything, Like I said I've nothing to compare it to but it all seemed to flow almost effortlessly.

5.  How many books did you read?

I unfortunately didn't have the foresight to get a babysitter, so i was only able to get through 1 and 1/2 books. 

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Trespassers by Todd Wynn & Tim Wynn
Wucaii by Pembroke Sinclair

7. Which did you enjoy the most? 

I really liked both books.

8. Which did you enjoy the least?

I'm the type of person that likes almost every single book that I read.

9.  How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? 

You can definitely count on me to be a part of the Read-a-thon from now on! More than likely I will sign up to be a Reader but who knows I may try to take on the task of being a Cheerleader also. 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Update #3

Alright, I'm not going to lie, I'm starting to feel it. We're at hour 17 of the readathon and there has been all kinds of fun things to do. I can't wait to see what else is in store for us. 

I'm still reading Wucaii and I'm on page 100 of 228. I would have loved to be further by now but I had to take care of a few things with the kids and wasn't able to read like I was hoping to. No biggie though I'm still having a blast. 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Mad Tea Party Mini Challenge

For this mini challenge we had to pick who we'd invite to play the roles of the characters from the Mad Tea Party scene in Alice and Wonderland. So here are my picks:

March Hare: Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Mad Hatter: Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

The Doormouse: Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Alice: Sara from Trespassers by Todd Wynn and Tim Wynn

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Mid-Event Survey

Wow, guys so much has gone on today! There has been so many awesome Challenges and Mini- Challenges. It's now time for the Mid-Event Survey.

1. What are you reading now?

Right now I'm still reading Wucaii by Pembroke Sinclair. I'm on page 64 of 228.

2. How many books have you read so far?

So far I've finished Trespassers by Todd Wynn and Tim Wynn

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of Read-a-thon?

Well I really want to finish Wucaii then start on Liam's Promise by Karyn Langhorne Folan

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? 

Unfortunately I've had several interruptions but this is first time participating with the read-a-thon and I really didn't know what to expect. I'll know to plan better with the next one and get a babysitter. I've dealt with those by taking a break while I had to do whatever the situation called for and then getting back into reading again.

5.What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

Wow, I don't really know because everything right now is so new. I can say that I'm having an awesome time and look forward for the next one.


Well guys I'm off to read some more. I'll try to check back in in a little bit. Happy Reading and Good Luck to everyone participating in the Read-a-thon!!!

Dewey's 24 hour Readathon Update #2

So far today has been a busy fun filled day. I've spent time going down memory lane, sent a fictional postcard while on an epic road-trip while listening to Never Forget You by Zara Larsson and built a reading fort. Right now I'm on page 17 of 228 of Wucaii by Pembroke Sinclair. Keep checking back for more updates on my progress.

Bookish Childhoods Meme Dewey's 24 Hour Readthon

Unfortunately  I didn't read as much as a kid as I do now but some of the books that really caught my attention during my childhood are:

1. Charlotte's Web
2. Any books from the Goosebumps series
3. The Bernstein Bears as a smaller kid
4. Anything Dr. Seuss I still love reading them today, and I'm glad for the opportunity to read them to my kids.
5. Sideways Stories from Wayside School 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Update #1

Ok this is my first update of my progress with the Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon. I just finished Trespassers  by Todd and Tim Wynn. Such a captivating read. I'll have a review up soon. I'll also keep updating everyone on my progress.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Opening Meme

I'm so excited to be starting my first ever Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon! I'll be doing all my reading from Mullens WV. 

I'm really excited to get some of the books on my TBR list finally read but I'm most excited about reading an e-arc copy of Wucaii by Pembroke Sinclair that I received the other day.

The other books I'll try to get through are Trespassers by Todd Wynn and The Doomsday Kids Books 1-4 Liam's Promise, Nester's Mistake, Amaranth's Return, and Amy's Gift.

I think I'm most excited to eat the chicken, bacon and ranch wraps I bought yesterday. I tried to get snacks that would be easy to eat and not that messy.

I'm a 28 year old married mother of 2 little boys. I enjoy hunting and fishing just as much as I love to read. 

I think the whole experience of the readathon is what I'm looking forward to because I've never participated in a readathon before. I'm also looking forward to the new books that I might be introduced to, the conversations that I might have, and the new people I'm bound to meet.

Feature and Follow #13

HOW DOES THE FEATURE AND FOLLOW WORK?

• The goal is to increase blog followers, make friends and have something to post.
• You create your own post using the post prompt.
• You leave your link and thumbnail in the linky list that links back to your post prompt.
• Once you have your post up and linked, visit other posts and tell them hi. The point is to FOLLOW them not just comment.
• If you see a post that just hit it to the moon, or just want to show appreciation to a fellow blogger friend, COME BACK AND VOTE for them on the linky list to show some appreciation.
• The person with the most VOTES gets chosen as the next Feature (you can be chosen every 90 days unless we are in need of features)
• It is required that if you participate that you have to follow the FEATURE. It is a big no-no to participate and ignore the feature. They are the special snowflake in this little blizzard.
• As a participant it is up to your discretion on how you want people to follow. Please post RSS, GFC etc if you have a follow of choice.

Specific RULES

Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.

• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed FOLLOW as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers

This Weeks Post Prompt:

First Physical Description Of A Character In A Book That You Find Appealing
submitted by: Zi

      "Heavy footsteps came from the other side, and then the door was swinging open and I was staring at a very broad, tan, well-muscled chest. A naked chest. My gaze dropped and my breath sort of...stalled. Jeans hung low on the hips, revealing a thin line of dark hair that formed below his navel and disappeared under the band of the jeans."
       His stomach was ripped. Perfect. Totally touchable Not the kind of stomach I expected on a seventeen-year-old boy, which is how old I suspected he was, but yeah, I wasn't complaining. I also wasn't talking. And I was staring. 
       My gaze finally traveling north again, I noted thick, sooty lashes fanning the tips of his high cheeks and hiding the color of his eyes as he looked down at me. I needed to know what color his eyes were.
   "Can I help you?'' Full, kissable lips turned down in annoyance.
      His voice was deep and firm. The kind of voice accustomed to people listening and obeying without question. His lashes lifted, revealing eyes so green and brilliant they couldn't be real. They were an intense emerald color that stood out in vibrant contrast against his tan skin." 

This excerpt came from one of my favorite books and series, Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Katy Swartz is describing the first time she meets Daemon Black.

Top Ten Tuesday #17

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks topic is Top Ten Books Every ______ Should Read. I've decided to go with Top Ten Books Every Kid Should Read. I've gone with this topic because both of my boys have decided to participate in the Reading Fair at their school (such a proud mama), and there are so many books out there to choose from that my youngest is having a hard time picking out one for his project. 

  Top Ten Books Every Kid Should Read

Green Eggs and Ham by: Dr. Seuss

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by: Laura Joffe Numeroff

Charlotte's Web  by: E. B. White

The Borrowers by: Mary Norton

James and the Giant Peach by: Roald Dahl

The Boxcar Children by: Gertrude Chandler Warner

Sideways Stories From Wayside School by: Louis Sachar

The Swiss Family Robinson by: Johann David Wyss

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by: Dr Seuss

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by: Dr. Seuss

So my little one finally decided to go with Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, which I think will be a good to book to go with since he is only in kindergarten and it's a classic children's book.

So what was your topic this week and what books did you go with?

REVIEW: The City Center by: Simone Pond

Synopsis: 

Ava didn't want to be right. Not about her city. Not about their leader, Chief Morray. But when Joseph gives her a secret journal from the past, the truth is revealed. She escapes with Joseph to the Outside, sending Chief Morray on an obsessive pursuit to retrieve his property. Ava has to decide if she should keep running, or return to the city center to save her people.

Review:

Ava is in the running to be in the next Royal Court and has been the favorite for many years to be the next Queen. The only thing is , that unlike everyone else, she really couldn't care less and doesn't want to be the Queen or even in the Royal Court. Ava can tell she's not like everyone else, she feels and sees things differently. Her entire world and everything she has ever known is turned upside down the minuet that the Outsider, Joseph, breaks into her City and gives her a journal. Upon reading the journal, Ava has countless questions and the only way she can get answers is to leave the only place she has ever known and escape to the Outside with Joseph. Of course that doesn't sit well with Chief Morray and he launches a huge manhunt to find her.

 It took me a couple of chapters to get into the story but after that I was hooked. Simone Pond spun a dystopian that was utterly captivating. The futuristic technology within this world was absolutely amazing, there were microchips implanted in the index finger that linked the characters to the ''internet'' and a wide array of information , everything is run off of huge solar panels, the living quarters are synced to the person living there and many, many more things. Simone Pond constructed an amazing world.

Ava was a fun character to follow. She questioned the ways of her world from the beginning and knew she was different because of it. Her absolute love and devotion for her best friend Delilah was refreshing. 

Delilah is Ava's best friend but because of their class differences they're unable to spend more than a few fleeting moments here and there. I would have loved a chance to see more interactions between Delilah and Ava. 

From the moment that Joseph is introduced to the reader you get the sense that he's  a strong willed individual. Willing to risk his very life he breaks into the walled City to pass on some information that he thinks could save Ava's people. I really liked Joseph's character, he seemed really easy to get along with.

Chief Morray is the villain in the story. To be honest the dude kinda creeped me out. He develops a creepy  stalker type obsession with Ava and knows no boundaries when it comes to getting her back into the City. His creep factor went up tremendously the more you learn about the things that he does to the citizens of the City unbeknownst to them.

I felt that Ava and Joseph's relationship was a little rushed. It worked for the story but I personally would have loved to see it develop over a period of time. There was no love triangle in the book which was a little refreshing. I mean don't get me wrong I love a good love triangle but it was a nice change for me and Simone Pond did a wonderful job in writing it. 

I'll try not to get to off topic here but I've heard where there are a few if not a lot of people comparing The City Center to The Hunger Games, and as a huge fan of THG I just don't see it. The only similarities I've noticed are that both books are dystopians and both main characters are oppressed by their governments. Ava and Katniss have totally different personalities and go through different struggles in which they handle those struggles in completely different ways.

 The City Center is a well pace, well written, exciting read. All in all I really enjoyed The City Center by Simone Pond and highly recommend it. I feel it is suitable for preteens and up, there is no foul language, a small amount of violence towards the end but nothing to worry about, and a PG rated romance. 


(C) 2016 Andrea Hatfield All Rights Reserved

Find The City Center here at Amazon.com

I'm Back!!!!

I'm Baaaaccckkk!!!!!

I'm back from my overly extended unannounced hiatus. I apologize to all my followers and fellow bloggers for just dropping off the face of the map. Things got kinda hectic for a while and still are but I missed blogging about books and reviewing books so I'm trying to work things around so I'll have more time to review. 

As of right now I'm going to try to get one review up a week and see how that goes. Hopefully it won't take me to long to get back into the swing of things and go back to blogging more often.