Top Ten Tuesday: Unfinished Series

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is highlighting series we've started but haven't finished for one reason or another. Now, I've started a lot of series without finishing them, but for this challenge I'll be focusing on series that fit these two criteria:

1. I've read more than just the first book in the series
2. I'm still planning on finishing the series

I was also going to stipulate that the series has to be complete, but that only gave me 5 to list. So without further adieu, below are my Top Ten series I've yet to complete...

10. Hex Hall Trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

I've read and reviewed both Hex Hall and Demonglass, and have had Spell Bound out from the library for over a month now, and still haven't picked it up to read it! I really have got to get rid of some of these distractions around the house and make reading a priority again.

9. Provost's Dog (Beka Cooper) Trilogy
by Tamora Pierce

Yet another 2 out of 3 read, and from arguably my favorite author no less! I will get Mastiff read if it's the last thing I do! ...Though I really hope it isn't.

8. The Mortal Instruments Series
by Cassandra Claire

I finished the original trilogy and was thrilled to hear it was being extended into a second trilogy. I even squee-ed at the fact Simon was going to be given a more prominant role. And still haven't even picked this one up. For shame.

7. The Sholan Alliance Series by Lisanne Norman

This was a series I picked up when I was probably too young for it. The first book was relatively short, and mostly action/sci-fi. The second...had a lot more politics and 'romance'. I realize I really had no business reading these books had in 7th grade, but really, sentient/psychic humanoid cat creatures — who wouldn't want to read these books? I still plan on picking them back up some time in the future.

6. Ganzfield Novels by Kate Kaynak

Read and loved the first two books, received the third and fourth and...haven't gotten back to them. This really was a case of so many books, so little time. But I will make time...eventually.

5. Bean's Series or The Shadow Saga
by Orson Scott Card

I don't know if this one totally counts as having been started since it's technically a branching series. I read and loved Ender's Game and the books that continued/concluded Ender's story. But he then wrote a second series that branched off of Ender's Game that focused on the character Bean and what happened on Earth. I own all of these, but haven't read past the first chapter in Ender's Shadow. So have I started them or not?

4. Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer

Colfer is quite possibly my favorite male author, and the Artemis Fowl books are my favorites of his (so far). That being said, I was hit rather hard by the events (and deaths) that went down in the 4th book. I've been meaning to catch back up, and perhaps with the release of the final installment I will finally do so.

3. The Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

I've read The Hobbit multiple times (how they're going to stretch it into 3 movies is beyond me), Fellowship once with the audiobook, and the first half of Two Towers. Afraid I'm not too interested in poor Sam and Frodo. But since this series is practically the must-read for any fantasy fan, I'm sure I'll get to it eventually. And perhaps even some of the other Middle Earth literature as well.

2. The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne (and Todd) McCafferey

Another must-read fantasy series which I've collected a fair amount of. In fact, I have every book up to the first co-author (Dragon's Kin) with Anne's son, Todd. But I've only read the first 6. I've made myself promise to read them before selling/giving them away, so I will read them. Eventually.

1. Xanth by Piers Anthony

I own 28 of these books and have read only 6 1/4. I read those in 7th and 8th grades and did enjoy them a great deal. When a fantasy series focuses on puns and figures of speech (for example, the phrase 'stop on a dime' obviously came about because dimes possess magical powers that force anyone running/walking over one to freeze in stride), it's hard not to enjoy it.

Dragon on a Pedestal, however, suddenly shifted the focus to a toddler. Yes, even then I knew I wasn't interested in kids. I just couldn't get through it. But I continued collecting the series and have now reached an entire bookshelf +1. Just need to finish all the other shiny books.

Series I'm Proud to Say AREN'T on this List:
Animorphs by K.A. Applegate
(all 63 owned & read)
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Hitchhiker's 6-book-Trilogy by Douglas Adams & Eoin Colfer
Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis



So, which series are on your list?
Did you give up, or simply get sidetracked?
Let me hear you howl!

An Awesome Announcement for Audiophiles

Do you love classics?
Do you love audiobooks?
Do you love getting free stuff???

Then Amazon's latest offer is perfect for you!

Basically, Amazon is trying to get the news out about their newest line of tablets (Kindle Fire HD) having whispersync technology, which syncs the e-book you're reading with the audiobook you're listening to. So if you want to continue listening to a book, but forgot your headphones at home, you can go ahead and keep reading and then the audiobook picks up your progress the next time you read. Pretty neat, no?

To spread the word, Amazon is offering 22 e-books for free download, PLUS the 22 corresponding audiobooks through combined Audible accounts. So if you have a Kindle reader, tablet, or free app and an Audible account (and free app), you can take advantage of this offer!

Simply click any of the links below, purchase (for FREE) the e-book and you will be directed to a confirmation screen. On that confirmation screen will be a link to Audible to purchase (once again, for FREE) the audiobook. If you're interested in multiple audiobooks, I'd suggest holding off on the actual checkout since you'll get a confirmation e-mail each time you check out.

A Word Of Caution:
Be sure that you are logged in to your Amazon-linked Audible account prior to clicking any links to purchase the Audible audiobooks. I made an account with a different e-mail than my Amazon account, and thus now have two separate accounts. I was logged into my other account when I clicked my first Audible link and now can't get the free download promotion applied to that one book. Luckily I don't think I'll be reading A Tale of Two Cities in the near future, so it's not a complete loss...

So without further adieu, here are the books available:

Complete List of 22 Titles

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
       Read by Anne Hathaway ; 3 hrs and 52 mins
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
       Read by Anne Flosnik ; 12 hrs and 19 mins
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
       Read by David Suchet ; 6 hrs and 8 mins
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
       Read by James Langton ; 18 hrs and 49 mins
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
       Read by Davina Porter ; 13 hrs and 15 mins
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
       Read by Simon Vance ; 33 hrs and 53 mins
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
       Read by Jon Smith ; 13 hrs and 15 mins
The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
       Read by Patrick Tull ; 4 hrs and 6 mins
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
       Read by John Lee ; 23 hrs and 38 mins
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
       Read by Shelly Frasier ; 6 hrs and 34 mins
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
       Read by John Lee ; 8 hrs and 35 mins
White Fang by Jack London
       Read by Bob Thomley ; 8 hrs and 8 mins
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
       Read by Frank Muller ; 21 hrs and 20 mins
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
       Read by Nathaniel Parker ; 5 hrs and 21 mins
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
       Read by Simon Vance ; 8 hrs and 21 mins
Dracula by Bram Stoker
       Read by a Full Cast including Alan Cumming & Tim Curry ; 15 hrs and 28 mins
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
       Read by David Hyde Pierce ; 9 hrs and 52 mins
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
       Read by John Castle ; 31 hrs and 6 mins
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
       Read by Elijah Wood ; 10 hrs and 12 mins
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
       Read by Scott Brick ; 3 hrs and 47 mins
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
       Read by Wanda McCaddon ; 12 hrs and 11 mins
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
       Read by Simon Prebble ; 8 hrs and 6 mins

Yeah, that's right. You can enjoy the voices of Anne Hathaway, Elijah Wood, and Tim Curry in your ear FOR FREE!!!

So if you're like me and love listening to your books (whether you're reading along or not) I hope you take advantage of this promotion for some free lit and audiobooks.

Disclaimer - I first read about this announcement a couple days ago from one of my favorite blogs, The eBook Reader, but figured I should also do my part in spreading the news. Go check him out for great eReader & tablet reviews, tips, tricks, and news. Or just go read his article covering this announcement. You'll be glad you did.

Disclaimer Part Deux - I have no clue when this promotion will end. It stands to reason that Amazon will want all the hype they can get, but do be sure to check the Bold Red Kindle Price before you purchase.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Made Me Think

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

I know, I know it's not Tuesday. Tuesday exploded and blasted me into Wednesday. But I've managed to sift through the shrapnel and arrange this post despite the difficulties. You're welcome.

This week's topic was books that made me think. Now, I have read a couple non-fiction books that also accomplished that, and I've read a lot of books in school that I was forced to think about, but I don't really want to delve into either of those facets of my reading career.

So below are my Top Ten fictional titles and series that provoked the most thought, reflection, or intellectual conversation. Enjoy...


10. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

This series was and continues to be a major thought-provoker for me. Not so much as I was reading them, but more so when looking back. Not only is there the story of Harry and Voldemort, good vs evil, but the side-stories, sub-plots, morals, revelations, juxtapositions, allegories, myth, metaphors, quests, deaths, and much, much more. Attend a convention and you'll find dozens of lectures, discussions, and panels that focus on one or more or the aspects found in this series.

And all that doesn't even touch on the phenomenon that surrounds these books. Why did they sell? What did they do to the YA industry? Why are fans still obsessed? I just love hearing and talking about all the trivia surrounding these books, and I don't know that I'll ever be tired of hearing about them.

Anyone else up for LeakyCon?

9. Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

One of the few books that I was forced to read in school that I revisited once or twice afterwards, Chronicle of a Death Foretold fascinated me, plain and simple. I loved the style of the book. You know from the very first paragraph that the main character has died/will die. The rest of the book goes back in time, showing each and every event leading up to the death as well as the choices that might have saved Santiago's life.

Which brings us to the main draw of the novel. Is fate or destiny real? Are our futures set in stone? Was Santiago's murder the fault of the two brothers, the whole town, or of the stars? Short and sweet, this book packs a lot into its 98 pages.

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Technically, I read this for a book club so was 'forced' to think about this one. I'd never heard of it before, and it's honestly something I don't think would ever be on my radar. Despite that, I found myself relating to a lot of what happened in the book.

I'm a bit socially awkward, shy, quiet, etc. so reading about a kid who preferred to observe, but still wanted to have what the other kids had really resonated with me. It might not be for everyone, but I think a lot of loners will find some connection with this one.

7. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I read Ender's Game for a scriptwriting class...cause the movie was coming out "soon" in 2004 (try 2013). But something about it drew me back that summer. Sure it's a story about a kid going through tactical military training in space. Yay for zero-gravity simulations!

It's also about war, logic, survival, politics, strategy, philosophy, the power of the internet, ethics, blame/fault, and so, so much more. Sure, kids will probably enjoy reading it, but older audiences will still get a lot out of it as well.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I read this one voluntarily after our 8th grade class watched the movie. I can't recite any of the speeches, I can't name all the characters, and I probably can't remember everything that happened in the book. But I remember enough, and considering I read it over 10 years ago, I think that speaks for itself.

I'm sure a lot of lists will have this one. It's pretty obvious what this book's message is. But that doesn't make it any less potent or thought-provoking. There's a reason it's still being read today, and really that ought to make us think.

5. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

The first two books (The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife) were great stories as well, but The Amber Spyglass was really the first book that brought home the underlying messages for me. Perhaps it was my age, perhaps it was just less subtle, but if you had any doubts about the religious messages in the first two books, you're in for a rude awakening in this one.

And is that necessarily a bad thing? Is it wrong to read something that has you questioning what you think you know? I won't say this series is for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading and thinking about it.

4. Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide by Orson Scott Card

I could have included these with Ender's Game, but really they don't have much in common. The events in Ender's Game happened and some of the characters transferred over. Other than that, the style, tone, and message has completely changed.

Both these books (and the third, which was omitted due to being more confusing) present strong characters on opposing sides, both having strong reasons for their actions, but divided in duty and morality. Is the destruction of a planet the only solution to stopping the spread of a disease? Or does the disease have as much right to life as anyone else? Not a fluff series by any definition, but fascinating nonetheless. ...Even if you can't stand the author...

3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I was assigned this one as a part of our Madness class. The freakiest part was connecting with this character on a personal level—we were all literature or English majors, most of us aspired to continue working in that field, and more than half of us were female—then following her as she descended into depression and insanity. But we still connected with her. She didn't seem crazy...at least not most of the time.

It was really was a disconcerting feeling to look at a character and see yourself, especially when she ends up where she does. Perhaps not as poignant for those not in the English/literature field, but still an interesting look at madness.

2. The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

Another religious book, but this one spoke to me on a personal level more than Pullman's series did. Here you have a girl who has done literally just as many good things as bad. So when she dies she's given the chance to earn her way out of Hell by fulfilling a dying man's last wishes.

Maybe not so much religion as morality, I still think back to this book whenever religion or ethics comes up. Might be a conversation starter, might be a different perspective than you're used to, but I'd strongly recommend The Wish List for any group and any age.

1. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

When I told my friends and family I was trying to come up with this list, this was the first book/series each and every one of us said. It's simply impossible not to think when reading these books. Morality, ethics, politics, society, class, poverty, freedom, war, revenge, retribution, psychology — these books have a little of everything.

I don't think they'll ever gather as much of a following due to the intensity of the subject matter. Who wants to read about kids being forced to kill each other? For me, the draw is more in the conversations about the books than the books themselves, because while I found them well-written and unforgettable, I don't particularly want to relive the experiences.

So while I'd say this is my top pick as a thought-provoking read, it's probably a book/series I don't plan on reading again. Not for pleasure, in any case.

Which books made you think?
Which books can you never forget?
Let me hear you howl!

Audio Addendum: Personal Demons

~Personal Demons~
Personal Demons
Book 1
By Lisa Desrochers
Amazon ~ Powell's

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same... until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy—all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay... for all of them.


Yep, this looks awfully familiar. Probably because I read and reviewed it last year! Don't worry, I won't bore you with repetition, since you can easily click here for that review. But as the title indicates, I do have an addendum to, well, add.

You see there's a significant difference between this year's read through and last's: last year I didn't have the audiobook accessible. This not only made this read through significantly faster, but I also get to share my thoughts on the narration and how well it translated to audio.

So again, you may backtrack to the story review, or simply continue below... This will then be added to the original review at a later date.

Approximate Reading Time: 4.5 Hours

Read by Sara Barnett & Michael Nathanson

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall 2012 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

I'm WAY behind on my normal TBR list, and other than a quick perusal of Amazon's "Coming Soon" listing, I honestly don't know what's releasing this Fall.
Sorry about that.

So rather than telling you what I'm dying to read that has yet to be released this year, here are my Top Ten Books that I SWEAR I WILL READ (and review) this fall.

10. Her Majesty's Will by David Blixt

Before he was famous, he was a fugitive.
Before he wrote of humanity, he lived it.
Before he was the Bard of Avon, he was a spy.

A very poor spy.

England, 1586. Swept up in the skirts of a mysterious stranger, Will Shakespeare becomes entangled in a deadly and hilarious misadventure as he accidentally uncovers the Babington Plot, an attempt to murder Queen Elizabeth herself. Aided by the mercurial wit of Kit Marlowe, Will enters London for the first time, chased by rebels, spies, his own government, his past, and a bear.

Through it all he demonstrates his loyalty and genius, proving himself to be - HER MAJESTY'S WILL.

9. Moonstone by Marilee Brothers

A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez.

Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command.

"Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

8.The White Oak by Kim White

Cora Alexander is pulled through a sinkhole and enters the underworld still alive. Her living presence threatens the tyrannical rule of Minos and the Infernal Judges who have hijacked the afterlife and rebuilt it, trapping human souls in a mechanical, computer-controlled city that lies at the core of the earth. To survive, Cora must rely on her untrustworthy guide, Minotaur, an artificial intelligence. She is helped by a mysterious voice, and by Sybil, underworld librarian and author of each person’s book of life. When Cora’s own book is destroyed, Sybil gives her a golden pen and sends her into the City to begin writing her own destiny. Along the way, she reunites with the ghost of her dead brother, Lucas, a genius programmer who alone is capable of finding the chink in Minos armor. This fast-paced adventure begins, and ends, in the middle of the action; introducing the characters, themes, and mysteries that find their resolution later in the series.

7. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. Fiction is based on real black and white photographs. The death of grandfather Abe sends sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and explores abandoned bedrooms and hallways. The children may still live.

6. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

4. Halflings & Guardian by Heather Burch

After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.

A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

3. Endlessly by Kiersten White

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

2. Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers

In this final installment of the thrilling, edgy Personal Demons series, the battle between Heaven and Hell has become critical, and Frannie Cavanaugh is right at the center of it.

With the help of the powerful angel Gabe and demon-turned-mortal Luc, Frannie has been able to stay one step ahead of the forces of Hell. But when the demons killed Frannie's best friend and destroyed her brother, they raised the stakes. If Frannie wants to keep her family and friends safe, she knows she has no choice but to go on the run.

Their best defense is the power Frannie has been struggling to master, but her attempts to hone her skill go horribly awry. If Frannie doesn't learn fast, the consequences could be devastating--even apocalyptic.

What happens when you can't outrun Hell...or trust the ones you love?

1. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Sorry I couldn't be a bit more on top of things this year, but what do you think?

Which books are you excited for?
Which books are on your list?
Let me hear you howl!