Wicked winter readathon Sunday update

Since my daughter has been sick we haven't gone anywhere or done anything today, so I have had a fair amount of time to read. Unfortunately I have managed to wet the book I was hoping to finish today, so that is drying in the sun. I have however, gone a good way into Outlander.
So here is my 2nd update:
Books finished since last update: 0
Books read since last update: 2 (The Sphinx and Outlander)
Pages read since last update: 290 (The Sphinx 97, Outlander 193)
Pages read in total: 599

Chick Lit Challenge 2012

I saw this challenge last year on Jo's blog, but forgot to join up at the start of the year. I did however, stumble across it today and decided to join. I really enjoy this genre especially as a bit of a break from the more heavy books that I typically read.
The challenge is to read 12 books from this genre and then to choose at least 2 from debut authors published in 2012. I am sure I can manage the reading, we will have to see about the reviewing, lol.

 

Wicked winter readathon

I joined up for this yesterday, but just have not had a chance to do a starting line or update post! I was too tired to do it last night, and today was a bit busy. We have been playing Battleships all afternoon today, so not that much time to read. I have got a bit done though. I didn't really set myself any goals since I joined so late, but would just like to get as much done and it would be nice to finish one book.

So far in the readathon I have read:
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 309 (The Sphinx 104 and Outlander 205)
I hope that tomorrow is a bit quieter than today and that I get more done.

Winter's Respite Readathon wrap up post

Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this readathon, and amazingly I got a fair amount of time to read especially over the weekend. Considering I am expecting my study material any day now it was really nice to get a last weekends reading in!
Sunday's progress
Books read today: 3 (Atlantis, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon; Treasure Island)
Books finished today: 1 (Atlantis)
Pages read today: 369 (Atlantis 179, Outlander 143, Treasure Island 47)

In total I read:
Books read: 5 (Atlantis, Outlander, The Great Hunt, Treasure Island, Learning)
Pages Read: 1414
Books finished: 3 (Atlantis, The Great Hunt, Learning)

All in all, I was pleased with how much I have read, I met my goal of pages and I read 3 books. Quite good considering the size and the amount of time I had to read. I see that Michelle is planning a spooky readathon next time which I am looking forward to!

Winter's respite readathon update post

I have not dissappeared and have actually read a fair bit. Just have not had much chance to post. So, here is an update on where I am.

Mondays progress:
Books read today: 1 (Learning by Karen Kingsbury)
Pages read today: 190

Tuesday's progress
Books read today: 1 (The great hunt by Robert Jordan)
Pages read today: 93

Wednesday's Progress
Books read today: 1 (Learning
Books finished today: 1 (Learning)
Pages read today: 134

Thursday's Progress
(Lots of work, so didn't get much chance to read today)
Books read today: 1 (The Great Hunt)
Books finished today: 0
Pages read today: 52

Friday's Progress
Books read today: 1 (Atlantis by David Gibbins
Books finished today: 0
Pages read today: 152

Saturday' Progress
Books read today: 2 (The Great hunt, Atlantis)
Books finished today: 1 (The great hunt)
Pages read today: 424 (The great hunt 418, Atlantis 6)

Running totals:
Books read: 3 (The great hunt, Atlantis and Learning)
Pages read: 1045
Books finished: 2 (Learning + The great hunt)

Winters respite readathon starting line post

I noticed this on twitter this morning. I am not really sure how I missed it at all. I have joined in the previous two run by Michelle and definitely can't miss the winter one, even if we are in the middle of a blazing summer here!
I probably wont be able to get too much read this week, but definitely commit to reading as much as I can. I would like to read more than 1350 pages which is what I read for the last readathon. I won't commit to number of books because a few of the books on my list are 500+++ pages.
I am starting with Learning by Karen Kingsbury and The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan, which I am halfway through. Thereafter I will move onto my to be read pile, half of which is below. I may even stop off at the library over the next week, and I still have my book club books here. So, really the choice is unlimited.
Sorry for the poor quality of the photo, but I took it on my phone this morning, and didnt even notice that the books were higgledy-piggledy and it seems a bit blurred!

Pop over to Michelle at The true book addict for the starter post. Click on the readathon picture at the top for the sign up page.

Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

Synopsis from Amazon.comThe Bailey Flanigan series begins with Bailey leaving Bloomington for the adventure of a lifetime. She has won an audition for the ensemble of a Broadway musical in New York City. She's determined to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of the city? And what of Cody? His disappearance has her worried about their future and praying that their love can survive. In order to be closer to his mother in jail, Cody takes a coaching job in a small community outside Indianapolis. New friends, distance, and circumstances expose cracks in his relationship with Bailey Flanigan.


My review:
This book traces the lives of Bailey and Cody both trying to establish careers and lives for themselves. Whilst it is not all bad, there were a few things that did irritate me a bit and impacted on my enjoyment.
1. This is my first Karen Kingsbury book and it states that it is Book 1 in the Bailey Flannagan series. However, there is obviously a lot that has happened in the past to these characters in another series. It was quite hard to work out what was going on at times, which made it difficult to understand. I feel that it should be linked to another series, or some sort of recommendation made that you read those books first, rather than having it stand alone.

2. The characters are just too perfect. There lives are perfect, they always do the right thing, everything seems easy for them. It seems to almost come across that if you are a CHristian your life will work out perfectly and you will be perfect. This made it hard for me to identify with any of the characters. I didn't feel that the characters or the plot were developed enough during the book.
3. Lastly, I felt that there were a bit too many bible references etc. I am a Christian, although I dont really read much Christian fiction. What I have read in the past I have enjoyed. But this just seemed to go over the top which made it seem more like a sermon or devotional book, than a fictional story.

Although I have been fairly negative up to now, it is not all bad. The basics of the story are good, I enjoyed the plot. It is a very sweet story, very easy to read and it is certainly refreshing to have no sex or violence in the beook, just normal people enjoying a normal life. I also feel that if I knew a bit more of the background, I would probably have enjoyed it a bit more. I own the second book in the series and will definitely read it to see how things progress.

Rating: I gave it 2 out of 5 on Goodreads.