Seriously Series Reading Challenge

I stink at completing challenges.  I tend to start several but never finish them just because it's one more thing to do, and trust me when I say I have plenty to do!
But one thing that constantly stresses me out is that I have loads and loads of series to finish up.  I keep starting new ones and then I have problems keeping up.  I also have a ton of series I started before I started blogging in 2008 that I SO need to get back to.  So I decided to do the Seriously Series Reading Challenge hosted by On a Book Bender and Reading the Paranormal.  If you want to sign up go HERE.

Quoted from Reading the Paranormal:

Definitions

For this challenge, we define a series as a collection of two or more books that belong together and where the second book is published before the end of 2013. This is a pretty broad definition of series, and it includes traditional series like the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, less traditional series like Stephanie Perkins's YA contemps (Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door), and shorter series, like Kendare Blake's Anna series (Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares).

A series is considered complete in one of two ways: either as finishing all the books that you own in the series or as obtaining and reading all the books that have been published in the series to date. Because we don't want this challenge to become a financial burden, how you choose to define completion is left to your discretion.

How It Works

To allow for the greatest level of flexibility, we've separated series into three categories: series started before 2013, series started in 2013, and series rereads. Series started before 2013 are defined as series that you have started reading before Jan. 2013 and that you still have unread books to get current in (or finish) the series. Series started in 2013 are defined as any series that you start reading between Jan. and Dec. 2013, and the second book in the series must be published before December 2013. A series reread is defined as books that are part of a series that were read before Jan. 2013 and that are reread between Jan. 2013 and Dec. 2013. A series reread does NOT have to include the full series.

For each category, there are different levels of seriousness about series that you can choose. Semi-serious is reading 1 to 6 series, seriously serious is reading 7 to 12 series, super seriously serious is reading 13 to 18 series, and seriously spectacular series star is reading more than 18 series. What this ends up looking like is this:

	series started before 2013	series started in 2013	series rereads
Semi-Serious	1-6 series	1-6	1-6
Seriously Serious	7-12	7-12	7-12
Super Seriously Serious	13-18	13-18	13-18
Seriously Spectacular Series Star	18+	18+	18+

You choose which categories you want to attempt and which level to shoot for. Reading novellas and short stories from a series does count here.

So I am going with Super Seriously Serious.  Yep, totally flipping serious here.  I am in BAD shape!
Series I need to work on to complete:
Rachel Morgan (Hollows) by Kim Harrison

• Pale Demon
• A Perfect Blood
• Ever After 

 Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie

• Crossed
• Reached 

Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer

• Mississippi Jack (#5)
• My Bonnie Light Horseman (#6)

I'm just going to say those two for now as there are too many for me to get through this year.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

• Beautiful Chaos
• Beautiful Redemption 

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

• A Million Sons
• Shades of the Earth

Lux Series by Jennifer Armentrout

• Opal
• Origin

Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep

• Dark Frost
• Crimson Frost 

Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey

• Blood Moon (#5)
• Blood Prophecy (#6)

Charley Davidson by Darynda Jones

• Second Grave on the Left
• Third Grave Dead Ahead

I'll leave it at that for now...

Jeaniene Frost ~ while she has a few different series, they all go together so pretty much any and all of her books.

• Once Burned
• Up From the Grave
• Twice Tempted

The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater

• Forever

Garnet Lacy by Tate Hallaway

• Honeymoon of the Dead (#5)

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

• Clockwork Prince
• Clockwork Princess 

Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

• City of Lost Souls

I will likely add more to this list.  These are the ones off the top of my head only.

Review: Pursuing the Times by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Pursuing the Times by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

ebook, 257 pages

Published: Aug. 24th, 2012

Source: Author

All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review - just one - and she'll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing's for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.

I don't often read what most call 'chick-lit' but I saw some reviews of this one and I'm pretty much always willing to give something a try so when the author offered me a copy for review I decided to accept.  It's always good to read outside your preferred genres just to shake things up a bit.  And I'm very glad that I decided to give this one a try cause it really was a riot!

Mercury was a very crazy character, but for the most part I really loved that.  She made some ridiculous and over the top decisions and was prone to overreacting as well as being a bit self absorbed at times but I found myself loving her and her crazy personality.  I felt like I should like her less when she was constantly absorbed in her own affairs or how others situations were affecting her, but I didn't find myself disliking her at all.  And while some of her choices, decisions and overreactions were a bit unrealistic and over the top it fit with the story and I really wouldn't call it a negative at all.  Just be aware going in that this book is like that.  Just a bit silly.  And for me some silly can be awesome!  And in this case it was.

Mercury keeps making a fool of herself around the Editor in Chief of the New York Time Book Review.  And she can't seem to stop herself!  Words spurt out of her mouth before she can help it.  But she's desperate to get her books reviewed and she'll do anything to get his attention.  And we start to see these two develop some sexual tension and we get the feeling these two may actually like each other, even if they are in denial.  I loved the interaction between the two as they constantly had witty banter bouncing back and forth.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was loads of fun, I do have a couple issues.  The first thing is the sex scene.  There's a pretty descriptive one in the book (makes this definitely adult) but when it comes to be it caught me totally by surprise.  There was no leading up to it.  These two people hadn't so much as kissed and suddenly they are hot and heavy.  I think I would have had a bit more warning, or some talking between them or something before it was suddenly sex.  And while they have known each other for awhile and stuff, it was just how it all happened that didn't work for me.  I felt like she must be having a dream or something.  I was so sure that I skimmed ahead to check and nope, not a dream.  The sex scene itself was fine, it was just how it so suddenly started that threw me.

The other thing is that there is an author, Nick, that is pretty important to the story.  He's in the background a lot and he becomes a good friend to Mercury but I didn't feel that.  I was told they became friends, but I think I would have liked a bit more interaction between them and more fleshing out of his character.  I think he would have been a fascinating character if we had gotten to know him better.

All in all those issues are actually quite minor.  I rate depending on my overall feel for the book, how I felt the majority of the time and I definitely loved it!  I love that there's so much of the book business in it and thought it was funny that Lauren Baratz-Logsted wrote a chick-lit book about a chick-lit author who wants to get reviewed by The New York Times Book Review.  It was neat seeing things from the authors perspective.  Things like being nervous when doing an event, having people shoving their books at you everywhere you go, trying to get you to get your agent to look at it... all those things are fascinating to me!   There's also a lot of talk about Mercury's books being labeled incorrectly.  She doesn't feel like they are really chick-lit, and I think that's actually something that happens a lot.  The authors don't get to pick the genre the publishers market it as and then they have to overcome the stigma of being labeled that.  I think that's why I so often have trouble labeling something, because usually books are a mishmash of different things.

Anyway, I suggest you pick this one up just for the giggles of it all!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Giveaway: Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder

Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder was amazing, absolutely amazing.  So I just have to share the book trailer with you all and I'm also giving away one finished copy of the book to one lucky person, open internationally!

Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder

Hardcover, 355 pages

Expected publication: Jan. 1st, 2013 by Simon Pulse

Source: Author

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.

Here's the trailer for you:

 

One finished hardcover copy to one winner.

Open internationally as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

Must be 13 or older to enter.

Ends 1/14/13

Fill out the form!

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