A to Z 2014 ~ a REFLECTION post (plus BROKEN BRANCH FALLS cover reveal!)

These things happened during April:

• My blog hit 100k of views.
• I hit 600 followers - woo! thanks guys! ;)
• I took on 2 new foster kittens - arrrrgh, help me, I'm drowning!
• My cat, Smog, sat down on one of my printed out chapters (thankfully already edited) and dragged his bum across it, leaving a distinctly brown poo smear behind.

Just so you know, I decided not to hold the poo smear against my little boy, but it did make me wonder if he was trying to tell me something ... ha.

Oh, and you know what? Something else important happened during April ...

The A to Z challenge!

This year my theme was to revisit 2012's A-Z TBR selection and report on which books I'd got around to reading. I featured the same 26 titles spotlighted in 2012, and sometimes highlighted other books I'd read during the last 2 years. If I hadn't read any books starting with that letter, or hadn't read many, I also featured some other titles still on my TBR.

So how many books of those original 26 had I got around to reading since April 2012? Here are the stats:

• Read = 8
• Not Read = 18

I have to say that during April this year, I actually read one of the "not read" books - my "A" book, The Anatomy of Wings. It was a 4 out of 5 star book for me. So a revised count leaves me with 9 books read and 17 still to go. That's a fairly poor effort, but then I have read a lot of other books since April 2012. ;) So there you go. The verdict is in!

To conclude I will say I am an A to Z '14 survivor, and I can't see any reason not to do it all again next year. :) It's always a blast.

I'm stoked to be participating in the cover reveal for Tara Tyler's

BROKEN BRANCH FALLS.

Her cover promises a rather beast-tastic read! ;) What do you think?

Welcome to the Forest!

It's time for the highly anticipated, most spectacular cover reveal of the day!

BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy)
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. Gabe’s closest friends are goblins like him, but Gabe is tired of being a goblin – he’d like to try other things. And he has his eye on the new ogress at school. It’s against all beastly rules, but there’s just something about her.

When a prank goes wrong, Gabe is forced to join the football team as punishment – but finds a way to make it work. Soon the whole school is getting in on the fad of mingling with other species. Too bad the adults have to step in and ruin things by threatening to destroy the school and split up Broken Branch Falls. And Gabe is their scapegoat. With help from friends, old and new, Gabe sets out on a quest for the Book of Ages, which holds the laws of all beastkind and hopefully the key to saving Broken Branch Falls. After all that trouble, it better work.

Add it to your GOODREADS list!

Twitter ~~~ Facebook ~~~ Blog

Also by Tara Tyler, techno-thriller detective series,
The Cooper Chronicles, Book One: POP TRAVEL

Tara Tyler started out as a math teacher. After having a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering and living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently, she has two series, The Cooper Chronicles (techno-thriller detective capers) and Beast World (MG fantasy) She's an adventure writer who believes every good story should have action, a moral, and a few laughs!

AND you can get up to five entries in this fun raffle just for commenting on five of the many cover reveal posts (see below) - This week only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A to Z ~ Zod Wallop

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"Z" ... ZOD WALLOP
Status: Not Read

Some other "Z" books still on my TBR:

Z for Zachariah - Robert C. O'Brien.
Zac and Mia - A.J. Betts.
Zazen - Vanessa Veselka.
Zeitoun - Dave Eggers.
Zero History (Blue Ant, #3) - William Gibson.
Zimmermann Telegram, the - Barbara W. Tuchman.
Zinnia (St. Helen's, #2) - Jayne Castle.
Zygote Chronicles, the - Suzanne Finnamore.

A to Z ~ You Dropped a Blonde On Me

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"Y" ... YOU DROPPED A BLONDE ON ME
Status: Not Read

Some other "Y" books still on my TBR:

Year Zero - Rob Reid.
Year of the Flood, the - Margaret Atwood.
Yellow Crocus - Laila Ibrahim.
Year Without Autumn, A - Liz Kessler.
Yellow House, the - Patricia Falvey.
Yellow Moon - Jewell Parker Rhodes.
Yellowcake - Ann Cummins.

A to Z ~ Xs

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"X" ... XS (AN ALLIE ARMINGTON MYSTERY, #2)
Status: Not Read

Some other "X" books still on my TBR:

X President, the - Philip Baruth

Xenocide (The Ender Quintet, #3) - Orson Scott Card.

Xingu - Edith Wharton.

xo (46. Ascending, #1) - Sherrie Cronin.

Xone of Contention (Xanth, #23) - Piers Anthony.

A to Z ~ War of the Worlds, the (+ Cephalopod & Goals)

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"W" ... THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
Status: Read

Brief Review: It took me a long time to read this, but I loved the book. I saw the Tom Cruise movie when it came out, and remember enjoying it (though can't really remember much of it now), but I remember someone commenting that they'd like to see a new version that is set in the era the book was written in, rather than a modern-day take. This thought occurred to me as well while reading the book. In the book, there aren't many cars around, and most people ride bicycles. There aren't modern-era weapons of war that humans can bring to bear on the invading aliens, so there are a lot of slaughters. I think a movie set in the era of the book could have such great potential to be awesome. Anyway, this was the first and is still the only H.G. Wells work I've read, and I definitely want to read more. >> Full review

Some of my favourite "W" books read:

Witches of Santa Anna, the (#1-7) - Lauren Barnholdt. 4 stars.

Wicked Games (#1) - Jessica Clare. 4 stars.

What a Boy Wants (#1) - Nyrae Dawn. 4 stars.

Some "W" books still on my TBR:

World After - Susan Ee.
World According to Garp, the - John Irving.
White Oleander - Janet Fitch.
Watership Down - Richard Adams.

As it's the last Friday of the month, I'm here to post for the Do You Have Goals? hop (hosted by Misha and Beth), as well as the Cephalopod Coffeehouse Book Club (hosted by the Armchair Squid).

This month my favourite read was definitely The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

These days it seems to take a lot for me to give a book 5 stars, and it also takes a lot for a book to bring tears to my eyes. This book achieved both feats! I have not one complaint about this book, no little thing to criticise, so I guess that says a lot. I also found it pretty amazing that I could be reading about the finer details of a teenaged cancer patient dying one minute and then bursting into stunned laughter the next - this book is FUNNY.

I just loved both Hazel and Augustus - they are my kind of people! Their senses of humour were brilliant, and I loved their banter. Of course, their story is heartbreaking, but they sure did live life to the fullest when with each other. I also love their interactions with Isaac, like the Hazel-Isaac scene where they're playing the video game. That part had me laughing out loud.

Isaac's eulogy for Augustus, read out in the "literal heart of Jesus", was brilliant. And I love that Hazel spouted all that "bullshit" at the funeral, knowing the funeral was really for the living and not the dead.

Last month, I reported that I was making progress, but that it was very slow going. The same can be said this month, and I have to admit I've made very little progress. Last month I was up to chapter 8, or rather I was stuck on chapter 8. This month I'm up to chapter 13, which I guess is progress ... but there are more nights when I do nothing than nights when I do anything. It's a much harder slog than I ever anticipated. As usual, I blame this "edit the chapter until I'm happy with it" method. ;)

Next month is May, and my last month before BuNoWriMo starts. During BuNo this year, I want to work on finishing off some unfinished novels that are lingering. I really hope to make better progress with this novel revision by May's end. Even though I was meant to be moving on to editing SMALL TOWN by now. Oh well, I guess I'll see how I go during May!

I hope you're all doing well with your goals. :)

A to Z ~ Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"V" ... VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
Status: Not Read

Some other "V" books still on my TBR:

Veiled (Veiled, #1) - S.B. Niccum.

Verruca Music - Stuart Estell.

Villette - Charlotte Brontë.

Voice of Thunder, the - Mirka M.G. Breen.

Voyage Out, the - Virginia Woolf.

A to Z ~ Ultimate Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"U" ... THE ULTIMATE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
Status: Not Read

Some other "U" books still on my TBR:

Uglies (Uglies, #1) - Scott Westerfeld.
Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1) - Michelle Hodkin.
Undead (Undead, #1) - Kirsty McKay.
Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1) - Veronica Rossi.
Unmade - Carol Oates.
Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) - Tahereh Mafi.
Up Close - Henriette Gyland.

A to Z ~ Tempest, the

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"T" ... THE TEMPEST
Status: Not Read

Some of my favourite "T" reads:

That Fatal Kiss - Mina Lobo. 5 stars.
TransShifter - Cindy Borgne. 4 stars.
True Grit - Charles Portis. 5 stars.
Tully - Paullina Simons. 4 stars.

Some other "T" books still on my TBR:

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher.
Three Daves - Nicki Elson.
Touch of Power (Healer, #1) - Maria V. Snyder.
Truth About Faking, the - Leigh Talbert Moore.

p.s. I have many, many books on my TBR, and you can check out all the ones starting with "T" from here.

A to Z ~ Silmarillion, the

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"S" ... THE SILMARILLION
Status: Not Read

Some of my favourite "S" books read:

Salem Falls - Jodi Picoult. 4 stars.
Shade of Vampire, A (Shade of Vampire, #1) - Bella Forrest. 4 stars.
Sister - Rosamund Lupton. 4 stars.
Spiral - Koji Suzuki. 4 stars.
Starstruck (Starstruck, #1) - Brenda Hiatt. 4 stars.
Survival (Species Imperative, #1) - Julie E. Czerneda. 4 stars.

A to Z ~ Ring

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"R" ... RING
Status: Read

Brief Review: I had already seen the Hollywood movie when I started reading this book. The movie gave me the super heebie jeebies, in a good way - it was just the right kind of creepy! I haven't seen the Japanese film, but would love to someday. As for the book, it was an easily digestible read, and definitely "creepy". Suzuki's descriptions at times had me feeling almost what the characters were feeling (thankfully not quite what they were feeling, at least the ones who died!), and I certainly was affected by the creep factor in Sadako's demise. I just found the movie much scarier than any scene in the book. But it was still a great read. Suzuki's a bit of a genius for coming up with a plot like this. What an imagination! >> Full review

Some of my favourite "R" books read:

Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend - Cassie Mae. 4 stars.
Regeneration (Species Imperative, #3) - Julie E. Czerneda. 5 stars.
Retribution - Jilliane Hoffman. 4 stars.
Riversong (River Valley, #1) - Tess Thompson. 4 stars.

A to Z ~ Queen of Sorcery

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"Q" ... QUEEN OF SORCERY
Status: Not Read

Some other "Q" books still on my TBR:

Quiet American, the - Graham Greene.

Queen of the Damned, the - Anne Rice.

Queen of Broken Hearts - Cassandra King.

Queen of Babble - Meg Cabot.

Queen Lucia (Lucia, #1) - E.F. Benson.

Quarantine (Alone, #3) - James Phelan.

Q is for Quarry (Kinsey Millhone, #17) - Sue Grafton.

A to Z ~ Phantom Waltz

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"P" ... PHANTOM WALTZ
Status: Read

Brief Review: This read was just "ok" to me. For most of the book, the couple was together and totally happy (bad reason to feel "meh" about a book? :P). They did have a hurdle to overcome right at the end, but to me their love wasn't one of those "hard won loves" I like to read about. Sometimes it seemed the book was going to be one long saga in which the heroine (Bethany) gets into trouble and the hero has to dash in and save the day. While Bethany had good reason to be more helpless than most (paraplegic), I still got a bit tired of her always getting into trouble & having to be rescued. The love story also unfolded really quickly which added to the lack of realism. I know that attraction/infatuation can happen quickly, but to almost instantly get to a state of "Oh, Ryan, I love you so much!" and "Darlin', I will love you forever and ever and ever!!!" was too much. I definitely got sick of Bethany saying, "Oh, Ryan!" I did like the bull, T-Bone, and the kitty who made his back her home. But when Ryan said he hated cats, he really got my back up. I can't ever respect a man who hates cats. ;) >> Full review

Some of my favourite "P" books read:

Please Ignore Vera Dietz - A.S. King. 5 stars.
Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1) - Katie McGarry. 3 stars.

Some other "P" books on my TBR:

Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky.

Pillars of the Earth, the - Ken Follett.

Polar Night - Julie Flanders.

Pop Travel - Tara Tyler.

A to Z ~ Oscar and Lucinda

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"O" ... OSCAR AND LUCINDA
Status: Read

Brief Review: Took me a good while to finish this one, as it's quite long and I found I had to pay close attention to drink in every detail. The book got off to a bit of a slow start, but soon enough I found myself intrigued by the quirky characters, sympathetic to their experiences and frustrated/exhilarated on their behalf. The book had me laughing out loud even at not so happy moments, just because of the wording and the silly little similes, metaphors and alliterations (which were still clever of course). The way the story unfolded was like a family memoir but also an historical work. And an unexpected event near the end illustrated how a man can make one little decision that damages his life ... permanently. >> Full review

Some of my favourite "O" books read:

Open Minds (Mindjack, #1) - Susan Kaye Quinn. 5 stars.
Other Wind, the - Ursula K. Le Guin. 4 stars.

Some other "O" books on my TBR:

Obernewtyn (Obernewtyn, #1) - Isobelle Carmody.
Obscura Burning - Suzanne van Rooyen.
Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas, #1) - Dean Koontz.

A to Z ~ Neverending Story, the

***Once again, I owe a lot of people comments - but I just spent 20 minutes trying to leave ANY comment, ANYWHERE, and I think I managed to leave one ... Kyra, that's yours. :P So I will have to return comments when my internet next feels like cooperating. Sorry. :( ***

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"N" ... THE NEVERENDING STORY
Status: Not Read

Some other "N" books still on my TBR:

Near Witch, the - Victoria Schwab.
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro.
Night Sky - Jolene Perry.
Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult.
North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell.
Not Your Average Fairy Tale - Chantele Sedgwick.
Not Your Fault - Cheyanne Young.
Notebook, the - Nicholas Sparks.
Nothing Special - Geoff Herbach.

A to Z ~ Mermaid's Mirror, the

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"M" ... THE MERMAID'S MIRROR
Status: Read

Review: I'd already read L.K. Madigan's FLASH BURNOUT and absolutely loved it, so when I started THE MERMAID'S MIRROR I expected to enjoy it as well. I also knew it would be a different reading experience, since it was about mermaids, unlike FLASH BURNOUT (contemp YA). I did enjoy the read, but I guess I prefer the style of her other novel to this one. I believe L.K. Madigan had wished to continue with this book and make it a series, and would have if not for her untimely passing. I definitely would have read a follow-up if one had ever been released, because this story certainly feels incomplete. Still, her writing style didn't disappoint - she was a great writer. May she RIP.

Some of my favourite "M" books/stories read:

Memory Of Light, A - Robert Jordan. 4 stars.
Migration (Species Imperative, #2) - Julie E. Czerneda. 5 stars.
muted: a short story in verse - Jessica Bell. 5 stars.
My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult. 4 stars.

A to Z ~ Legend

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"L" ... LEGEND
Status: Not Read

"L" books I have read:

Lady Susan/The Watsons/Sanditon - Jane Austen. 4 stars.
Law of Nines, the - Terry Goodkind. 3 stars.
Learning to Fly - Gina Penn. 3 stars.
Lone Wolf - Jodi Picoult. 3 stars.

Some other "L" books still on my TBR:

Lady Justice - Jenni Merritt.
Legend of Victor Standish, the - Roland Yeomans.
Lengths (Lengths, #1) - Steph Campbell.
Les Misérables - Victor Hugo.
Life of Pi - Yann Martel.
Looking for Alaska - John Green.

A to Z ~ Keeping Place, the

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"K" ... THE KEEPING PLACE
Status: Not Read

"K" books I have read:

Knee Deep - Jolene Perry. 4 stars.
Knight & Play (Knight, #1) - Kitty French. 3 stars.

Some other "K" books still on my TBR:

Keeping Mum - Alyse Carlson.
Kick - John L. Monk.
Kinetic (Luminaries, #1) - S.K. Anthony.
Kite Runner, the - Khaled Hosseini.

A to Z ~ Jacob's Room

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"J" ... JACOB'S ROOM
Status: Not Read

Some other "J" books still on my TBR:

Jane - April Lindner.
Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1) - Michael Crichton.
Just the Sexiest Man Alive - Julie James.
Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica, #2) - Beth Fantaskey.
Juliet - Anne Fortier.
Jenny Pox (Paranormals, #1) - J.L. Bryan.
Jaws - Peter Benchley.
Just Deserts - Eric Walters.

A to Z ~ In Cold Blood

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"I" ... IN COLD BLOOD
Status: Not Read

"I" books I have read:

If I Let You Go - Kyra Lennon. 4 stars.
Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma. 4 stars.
Insurgent (Divergent, #2) - Veronica Roth. 4 stars.

Some other "I" books on my TBR:

I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes.
Ill-Made Mute, the - Cecilia Dart-Thornton.
Invisible Man, the - H.G. Wells.
It - Stephen King.

Have you guys noticed I'm not having a very good run? That is, it's been a while since I featured a book in my main list I actually have read. But rest assured there are more books to follow that I have indeed read. :) Just wanted to assure you there WILL be more mini-reviews!

A to Z ~ Haunting of Alaizabel Cray, the

This year my A to Z theme harks back to 2012's theme, in which I listed an A-to-Z of books from my GoodReads "TBR" shelf. This year I want to revisit that list and report on which ones I've read, and what rating I gave them. Where the book hasn't been read, I'll mention other books starting with that letter I have read since 2012. ;)

"H" ... THE HAUNTING OF ALAIZABEL CRAY
Status: Not Read

"H" books I have read:

Hard to Handle (Love in the Balance #2) - Jessica Lemmon. 4 stars.
Healing Summer - Elizabeth Seckman. 4 stars.
Hooked (Hooked, #1) - Liz Fichera. 4 stars.
Host, the (The Host, #1) - Stephenie Meyer. 4 stars.
How To Rock Braces and Glasses - Meg Haston. 3 stars.