Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - The Wrap-Up Post

And another read-a-thon ends! I think my reading speed was a bit slower this time, in comparison with past read-a-thons, but I still managed to accomplish my goals:

• I read every day, for an hour at least
• I entered almost all of the challenges, except one
• I updated my progress every day
• I did try to socialize, but I didn't do much... I participated on the challenges, and checked some participants' answers, but due to the nature of the challenges, I didn't get to check many blogs... as for Twitter parties, I forgot about the first, and the second was incompatible with my time zone
• I read 3 fiction books and a comic book
  

Statistically, I read:

• 1094 pages (an average of 137 pages per day)
• 3 fiction books (Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz; Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr; Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver)
• 1 comic book (Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici)

I was on a vacation, sort of, which I thought would make me read more than I did, but I also had a lot more distractions. Anyway, I set manageable goals and I achieved them, so I consider this a sucessful read-a-thon.

Below are my posts for the read-a-thon, both the starting post as well as the daily update posts, which contain my progress and my answers to the mini challenges.

Starting Post

Thursday, February 7th

Friday, February 8th

Saturday, February 9th

Sunday, February 10th

Monday, February 11th

Tuesday, February 12th

Wednesday+Thursday, February 13th+14th

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Wednesday+Thursday, February 13th+14th

Pages: 110 (Wednesday) + 180 (Thursday)

Total pages read so far: 804 + 110 + 180 = 1094

Books:
110 + 180 pages of Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver

 

Challenge: Character Crush hosted by April @ My Shelf Confessions

Who is your dream character crush? What would you like them to bring and/or do on Valentine’s Day that would steal your heart?

Skipped it to dedicate myself to reading.

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Tuesday, February 12th

Pages: 86

Total pages read so far: 718 + 86 = 804

Books:
The first 86 pages of Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver 

Challenge: Cover Lover hosted by Alicia @ Book a World

In the 4 x 4 grid below, each image is part of a 2013 YA release cover. Make your highly intelligent guess of the titles corresponding to the covers to win attractive prizes /waggles eyebrow/

That was harder than I expected, number 15 gave me a hard time... xD but I think I managed to guess them all. I love these cover challenges. ;)

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Monday, February 11th

Pages: 95

Total pages read so far: 623 + 95 = 718

Books:
The last 95 pages of Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

Challenge: Lines of Love hosted by Pabkins @ My Shelf Confessions

My challenge for you today should you choose to bandy words with me: Compile some Lines of Love to woo us, Or perhaps fill us with sadness, make our hearts bleed perhaps? Or nay give us a laugh that only comedic love can. 

The challenge requirements, oh evil things that they are:

• In the current book you are reading flip to a random page
• Roll four dice, add each die’s number together, the total is your line number(aka line=sentence) [convenient website for dice rolling here]
• Make the line romantic in some way. (you don’t have to use the whole line, but at least half of it and whatever you add of your own can’t be more than half the total quote)

I'm picking the last book I read (Wolf Pact), instead of the one I am currently reading (Radiant Shadows), since I own the former in English, and the latter in Portuguese - and how on Earth am I going to do a retranslation of Melissa Marr's work into English again? xD

So I open page 109 of Wolf Pact, and if I counted this right, sentence 14 (I got 14 with the four dice) is:

There was someone else in the room.

My answer for this challenge is:

There was love for him, not someone else, and in the room I confessed.

Phew, It was a bit hard, with the word limitation, and the fact I have no lyrical bone in my body (xD), but it was at least amusing to try.

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Sunday, February 10th

Pages: 105

Total pages read so far: 518 + 105 = 623

Books:
105 pages of Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

Challenge: Valentine’s Day Cover Ball hosted by Kimberly @ Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

The Ball begins at 7 o'clock sharp
and we promise wicked food and entertainment!

For this challenge and to receive your ticket
using book covers show us your dress for the ball,
your date and how you will arrive.(transportation)

The first one is almost too easy. I remember that when I first had The Luxe (the first book in the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen) in my hands, I couldn't stop staring at the cover, because that dress is so, so, beautiful. I'd like to wear it to this ball.

As for my date, I'm taking the handsome Ash (pictured in The Iron Knight) from the Iron Fey series, and we will arrive on a carriage (pictured in the Portuguese editon of A Kiss to Remember - I'm sorry, I was unable to find a cover with a bigger carriage... but this one looks terribly cute, though).

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Saturday, February 9th

Pages: 62 + 55 = 117

Total pages read so far: 401 + 117 = 518

Books:
The last 62 pages of Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
The first 55 pages of Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

Challenge: The Clue To My Heart Crossword Challenge hosted by Kathy @ I Write, I Read, I Review

The way that this challenge is going to work is simple. All you need to do is click on the link below, which will take you to the crossword puzzle I created for the event, and then follow three easy steps.
1. Download the puzzle (or you can do it on the screen and hit PRINT SCREEN to get a screen shot of it when complete.)
2. Complete the puzzle. (As above, it can be done at the site, or downloaded as a Word file or a PDF.)
3. E-mail your completed puzzle to me so that I know you did it. (Subject: Clue To My Heart)

Done! Cute, fun challenge.

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Friday, February 8th

Pages: 160

Total pages read so far: 241 + 160 = 401

Books:
160 pages of Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz (not yet finished)

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz

Challenge: The Dating Game Mini-Challenge hosted by Beckie @ Bittersweet Enchantment

This challenge is called The Dating Game. The idea is to choose two different book characters to go on a date. Although each character must be from two totally different books or series. Once you know who you are going to choose then your next step is to tell me where they will being going on the date. Your welcome to post a image of a certain place as well. Next, I need to know what they will be doing on their date and why you think both characters would make a great couple. You are welcome to use pictures if you'd like.

You know what? I have my The Farseer Trilogy's books (by Robin Hobb) right in front of me, and if there is someone who needs a break is Fitz, the main character. Poor guy, everything bad happens to him and he is sometimes in a depressing mood as a result. I'm sending him on a date with Izzy Lockwood from the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare, because Izzy is not prone to feeling sorry for herself and she would snap Fitz out of it.

I would send them to a nice restaurant, because I think Izzy would appreciate the value of good food and good conversation, but the date would soon get off the track when they started discussing the mortal and devious uses cutlery could have. Next thing I know, they end the night playing paintball, of all things. I think it could let them blow off some steam from their very stressful lives.

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Thursday, February 7th

Pages: 192 + 49 = 241

Total pages read so far: 241

Books:
Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
The first 49 pages of Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz

 Books read so far:

Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz

Challenge: The Love 'Ship Challenge hosted by April @ My Shelf Confessions

Your mission should you choose to accept it is to pick an established relationship (get it, “‘ship” LOL) from any book or series and then tell me what sort of cruise they would go on – we all know there are SO many themed cruise ships, and you can make up a theme too! Where would the travel destination stops be? What fun things would they do together during the week? And best of all, explain why you chose what you chose! Essentially you are their cruise ship travel agent trying to give them the trip of a lifetime that they’ll love! OH and what’s the cruise ship named?

Well, the couple I'm going to choose is not a established relationship per se, but give 'em time, I'm sure they will be an official couple in the next book that comes out... *crossing fingers* I'm talking about Ananna and Naji from Cassandra Rose Clarke's The Assassin's Curse.

I'm sending them on a pirate-themed cruise - I believe it would be hilarious to watch Ananna's reaction to the cruise and its depiction of pirates, with her being a true pirate and all. I'm betting she would try to out-do the ship's crew and teach them what a real pirate is and does... and perhaps even try to take control of the ship. Naji didn't strike me as a big fan of the sea or ships, so his reaction would also be interesting to watch, especially in light of Ananna's shenanigans.

The cruise would travel the Caribbean, stopping on a few exotic and exciting locations, and there would be several pirate-themed activities and reenactments - perhaps the passengers could even meet Captain Jack Sparrow! *winkwink* (Whom Ananna would totally give a run for his money, btw.) The ship would be called The Sea's Maiden. Sounds terribly pirate-y.

Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon - Starting Post

The Wicked Valentine’s Read-A-Thon is a time when we all get together to dedicate the days of February 7-14 to as much reading as possible. You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile! We know real life gets in the way and even if you can’t participate more than one day, you’re welcome to join in on the fun! - My Shelf Confessions

And here I am, signing up for another Wicked Read-a-Thon! This looks like an awesome week to dedicate myself to reading, since I'll be on a vacation of sorts. I expect to read throughout the whole week, and hopefully read a bit more than usual.

So my goals will be:

• To read every day, for an hour at least
• To enter some of the challenges
• To update my progress every day
• To try to socialize (eg. to visit some blogs, or to follow the Twitter party)
• To read at least 3 fiction books from the picture below and a few of the comic books

I am not good at making reading plans, so usually I go off pile a bit at other read-a-thons; this one I won't be able to do that, since I won't be home and I'll have a limited amount of books available. The only way I found to allow myself to be a little bit choosy is to have a larger initial pile than usual... and carry it with me. (Yes, I realize it looks like a big pile, but I'll be travelling by car and that allows me to be extravagant.) I will only make an exception to go off pile if I can get my hands on a certain book I've been dying to read... or if I find some e-book I'd like to read.

So without further ado, I will be reading some of the books from the following pile:

Fiction books

• Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
• It Happened One Autumn, Lisa Kleypas
• The Iron Queen, Julie Kagawa
• Prodigy, Marie Lu
• Pandemonium, Lauren Oliver
• Fever, Lauren DeStefano
• Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver
• Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr
• This Is a Love Story, Jessica Thompson

Comic books

• Star Wars #1 and #2
• Kick-Ass v.1, Mark Millar, John Romita Jr.
• Wolverine: The Reckoning, Daniel Way, Marjorie Liu, Scot Eaton, Will Conrad, Stephen Segovia, Mierco Pierfederici
• John Carter: A Princess of Mars, Roger Langridge, Filipe Andrade

Here's to a successful read-a-thon. :D