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Kitty Horror

i'm an avid reader whose first love is horror. Come join me over on the dark side.

Injection Vol 1

Injection, Vol. 1 - Warren Ellis, Jordie Bellaire, Declan Shalvey

 

I have no idea what this was about and ended up skimming most of it by the end. Whatever this was it didn't hold my interest at all. Boring. Next!!

January 2019 Monthly round up

              

 

 

 

Not a fantastic start to the year with only 10 books read but it's a start. I really need to start setting aside some time for concentrating on reading instead of fannying around online.

 

Here's what I read and when I finished them.

 

 

 

Logan McRae (10) - In the Cold Dark Ground - Stuart MacBride   5* - Tartan noir at its best. Love Logan McRae.

Shock Totem 1: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted - K. Allen Wood,Jennifer Pelland,Don D'Ammassa,David Niall Wilson,Brian Rappatta,Kurt Newton,Mercedes M. Yardley,Les Berkley,Pam L. Wallace,T.L. Morganfield,Brian Rosenberger,William Ollie  3.5* - A couple of really good stories but not interested in the interviews.

Winterworld Volume 1: La Nina - Chuck Dixon,Butch Guice,Diego Rodriguez,Robbie Robbins,Tom B. Long  3* - Decent enough story but wasn't impressed with the artwork.

Postal Vol. 1 - Bryan Hill,Matt Hawkins,Betsy Gonia  4* - Good art, story and characters, will look at getting Vol 2.

Dog Years 3: Return to Moreau Labs (Pavlov's Dogs) - Thom Brannan,D.L. Snell  4* - Decent addition to the Pavlovs Dogs novella series, the best of the 3.

Monster Town - Brian M. Logan  4* - Fun novella that had a nice twist. 

Inside the Outside - Martin Lastrapes  4.5* - Fantastic cannibal read only let down by the anticlimactic ending.

Eating Sarah - Jaret Martens  1* - Just ugh!!

Deadly Class Volume 1: Reagan Youth TP - Wesley Craig,Rick Remender,Lee Loughridge  3* - Okay read but won't continue with series.

The Fuse Volume 1: The Russia Shift - Justin Greenwood,Antony Johnston  2* - Terrible art, every character looked like their face was melting.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

 

 

Inside the Outside - Martin Lastrapes  Logan McRae (10) - In the Cold Dark Ground - Stuart MacBride  

 

 

What I"m currently reading

 

Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella 

@23%

 

This ones not grabbing me like her books usually do, that might change a little further in.

 

Requiem for a Dream - Hubert Selby Jr.,Darren Aronofsky,Richard Price 

 

@20%

 

The writing is tricky to follow but it's certainly keeping my interest.

 

Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens 

@10%

 

Not sure why I can't get into this one. I either need to put in some serious reading time  or set it aside and go back to it at another time. This was picked by Boo for my first read of Jan so I'll just blame her. ;)

 

 

My Jan book buys

 

 

Force of Nature: A Novel - Jane Harper  Zero Saints - Gabino Iglesias  Killing Pretty: A Sandman Slim Novel - Richard Kadrey  Out Behind the Barn - Chad Lutzke,John Boden  Stirring the Sheets - Chad Lutzke  Carter & Lovecraft - Jonathan L. Howard  The Fisherman - John Langan  Rolling in the Deep - Mira Grant  

 

What I want to read in Feb

 

My current reads hopefully and then these three books

 

 

Joyride - Jack Ketchum  Goon - Edward Lee,John Pelan  Graverobbers Wanted: No Experience Necessary - Jeff Strand  

 

 

That's me for the month, I hope everyone has had a good start to the year. 

 

And just cause.....

 

 

Eating Sarah

Eating Sarah - Jaret Martens

 

Mix one highly dislikable MC, a group of supporting characters you could care less about and a plot that is inconsistent at best and you get this hot mess.

The premise was decent enough, a dystopian tale set in an unknown time period where forest dwelling cannibals do a monthly hunt to provide supplies from the nearby city. In an attempt to bolster their numbers they lower the age for participation giving our MC, Sarah, her first hunt. It all ends in disaster and Sarah is relegated to the slaughter shack as a punishment. There she comes into contact with Troy, a city dweller she saw in the woods before he was taken captive. As she gets to know him she starts to question why  her community lives the way they do.

 

 

 

 

I don't even know where to start with this, there was so much that irked me about the story, characterisations and writing itself. I found the MC unsympathetic, I never felt concerned for her welfare, especially as the author had plenty of white knights to save her. Her mother and father had a personality transplant after her disastrous first hunt, the mother especially came across as some demented Disney baddie. None of the supporting characters came across well, they had all done horrendous things and the author had not written them with any nuance to flesh them, just one dimensional story props whose behaviour changed radically, without notice, to fit the story.

The writing is clunky and there was no flow to the story, the author stuck flowery, over descriptive prose throughout the book which just felt forced and detracted rather than added to the read.

I was excited to get to this as it's been on my TBR for a few years now and I had just finished the excellent Inside the Outside and was on a cannibal binge.

So disappointed, and to top it off it ends on a cliff hanger, right in the middle of an attack!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Zoo of China

The Great Zoo of China - Matthew Reilly

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

CJ Cameron and her brother Hamish are included in a group of VIPs to see a new Chinese zoo. This is no ordinary zoo, several decades in the making, it showcases a creature no one thought existed, dragons. Things do not go to plan during the initial tour and of course the dragons wreck havoc on the group, looking to break out of the zoo environment. The group looks to evade danger which is not limited to the dragons as the Chinese will stop at nothing to contain the threat to their investment.

This was a hugely enjoyable thriller that was fast paced, fun and had great characters. Whilst you require some (or a lot of) suspension of disbelief, there's enough science and tech info to make it engaging and I really enjoyed Reillys take on dragon mythology.

CJ was a well drawn character, lots of great backstory on how she was disfigured and her work in her field of reptiles. Her brother Hamish is an entertaining secondary character and interjects some humour into proceedings but it's the dragons themselves, especially Lucky that steal the show and hook you into the story.

Shock Totem 1

Shock Totem 1: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted - K. Allen Wood, Jennifer Pelland, Brian Rosenberger, John Skipp

Collection of short stories, poems, interviews and reviews. Quite a good start to the series which had a couple of stand outs, most of the stories were good but I had no interest in the interviews with John Skipp, Alan Robert and William Ollie.

My favourite stories:

 

The Dead March - Brian Rappatta - Young Aaron has a strange gift which he decides to use on his abusive father.

 

Thirty-Two Scenes From A Dead Hookers Mouth - Kurt Newton - Horror version of Memento that stays with you.

 

 

In The Cold Dark Ground

Logan McRae (10) - In the Cold Dark Ground - Stuart MacBride

The tenth story in the Logan McRae series see him dealing with a missing person murder, a brewing drug turf war, a new superintendent who takes a dislike to him, DCI Steel, professional standards and the usual bevy of unsavoury characters that tend to crop up. There's also the impending decision to take Samantha off life support and the death of Wee Hamish Mowat which puts him in the crosshairs of lunatic henchman Reuben.

 

I love this series but I do wish there was some happiness for Logan in his personal life, I think he's suffered enough over the last few books and whilst it was sad it was also time for him to let Samantha go. Aside from this it was the usual black humour and break neck speed of the story that kept me glued to it for the two days it took me to read it. Another fantastic addition to the series which for the first time truly tested Logans ethics and left me wondering what direction this character will now go.

 

My Top 10 books 2018

 

 

Blank yyib header maxres

 

 

 

 

TOTALS
 

I read 24,764 pages across 143 books

 

 

 

 

Img bookstack 360

 

 

 

These are my favourite reads from 2018 in no particular order.

 

1.

 

The Walking Dead Volume 24: Life and Death (Walking Dead (6 Stories)) - Stefano Gaudiano,Charlie Adlard,Robert Kirkman 

 

I read a lot of the Walking dead volumes this year but this one stuck out for me and the reason for that was the punch in the gut ending. Intense and shocking.

 

2.

 

Saga, Volume 5 - Brian K. Vaughan,Fiona Staples 

 

I love Saga, so many unique characters but storylines that have universal appeal. Marko and Alana continue to fight for their family but that ending still made me sad.

 

3.

 

Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine - Kelly Sue DeConnick,Valentine De Landro,Robert Wilson IV 

 

Futuristic story of a womens correctional facility and its inhabitants. A sci-fi take on a. patriarchal society where women are truly treated as second class citizens.

 

4.

 

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness 

 

Heartbreaking book about loss that will resonate with more than just YA readers. 

 

5.

 

Things Slip Through - Kevin Lucia 

 

I loved the writing in this book, it flowed well and each story connected to the other stories creating a seamless read that was hard to put down. I'll be reading more about Clifton Heights this year.

 

 

 

 

6.

 

The Missing and the Dead - Stuart MacBride 

 

The 9th instalment in the Logan McRae series sees him trying to solve the mystery of a child who has been killed in a local pool. Equal parts grim and black humour this was a hugely enjoyable addition to the series. 

 

7.

 

Marked In Flesh - Anne Bishop 

 

The Others series is almost at an end but the 4th book didn't disappoint with the continuing tension being ramped up between humans and the others. Again this series continues to be the book equivalent of chocolate and I scoffed it over a day.

 

8.

 

My Life as A White Trash Zombie - Diana Rowland 

 

Fresh take on the zombie theme, Angel is a great character and her character growth is something that keeps you rooting for her to succeed. 

 

9. 

 

Shaken - J.A. Konrath 

 

Jack Daniels book that sees her come up against Mr K and you find out about Jack as a much younger cop just starting out on the force. This whole series has been of a consistent high quality but this is my first 5* for the series.

 

10.

 

 

 

Animal Farm -  Malcolm Bradbury,George Orwell

 

 

Compelling read that is very relevant for this day and age.

 

 

 

Those are my favourite reads for last year. Here are a couple of memorable mentions:

 

In a Dark, Dark Wood - Ruth Ware  The Lesser Dead - Christopher Buehlman  Year's Best Hardcore Horror Volume 1 - Randy Chandler,Cheryl Mullenax  Voices of the Damned - Barbie Wilde  

Happy New Year

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

 

To all my BL buddies.

Have a great year.

 

 

 

24 Festive Tasks: Door 23 Hogswatch

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1:  glingleglingleglingle – if you could wish any kind of god(dess) into existence, what would they be in charge of?  Dusting?  Weeding?  We’re not aiming high here… tell us!

 

I would love for there to be a god of home improvements. These projects are usually expensive and/or time consuming and at times difficult to complete yourself. Any help in this area from a god from be most welcome.

 

 

Task 2: Tell us: Did you or any kids you know ever have a funny or weird (the good sort of weird) encounter with a department store Santa, um, Hogfather?

 

I got nada, zip, nothing for this!. Pass.

 

Task 3: Which children’s myth / mythical character (Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, etc.) did you never believe in even when you were little?

 

 

I could never get behind the idea of an Easter Bunny although I was totally for the concept of eating copious amounts of chocolate Easter eggs.

 

 

BAD!!!!

 

GOOD!!!

 

 

 

Task 4: Discworld features a number of inventions that mirror our world’s technology but work according to Discworld’s very own specifications; e.g., Hex, the ant-powered sapient thinking machine (computer) and a demon-powered picture box (camera). What other invention from our world would you have liked to see appearing in Discworld and how might it have worked there?

 

I haven't read any of the Discworld books yet so I can't say how things might work there.

 

Book: Read anything by Terry Pratchett.

 

 

The Color of Magic - Terry Pratchett 

 

Couldn't quite get to this, the only square I didn't read anything for. 

 

2 points earned for Door 23

 

Total = 99

 

I've had a blast doing the festive tasks and managed to do much better than I thought I would so I'm chuffed to bits with my score.

 

 

 

Thanks to MbD, Themis-Athena and Midnight Snow for hosting.

 

Looking forward to next year's bingos and tasks. 

 

24 Festive Tasks: Door 22 New Year

 

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1:  Your 2019 Book Goals:  what are they?

 

1. I'm setting my overall book goal at 125 which is less than this year but I'm hoping it'll be an easily achievable goal that I can go past without stressing.

 

2.  I'm going to do the TBR challenge on GR and set a goal of reading 100 of my own books. The A-Z challenge for 26 books and Pages read which will be 125 books for the year.

 

3. Try to spend more time reading and less time worrying about reaching book goals.

 

 

 

Task 2: 2018 Reading Year in Review.  Tell us about your year in books:  happy? disappointed? 

 

I managed to read 143 books this year.

 

5* reads

 

 
4* reads
 
 
 
3* reads
 
 
2* reads
 
 
My favourite book was:
 
The Missing and the Dead - Stuart MacBride 
 
 

My least favourite was:

 

There’s a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed - Edgar Cantero   

 

Longest book read:

 

Mount! - Jilly Cooper 

 

 

640 pages

 

Shortest book read: 

 

Crossed #0 - Garth Ennis  

 

13 pages

 

28 of this years reads were 5*, out of 143 I think that's pretty good. I had to change my reading goal mid way through the year as there was no way I would get through the 150 original goal. I wasn't far off but it was still disappointing.

I really enjoyed getting up to speed with the Walking Dead series and these proved to be 4 or 5* reads for each volume. There weren't that many terrible reads and they were mostly comic books that just weren't to my taste.

All in all I think it's been a fairly good reading year.

 
 
 

 

 

Task 3: New Year’s Book Lottery: Write the names of the first 5 books you’re planning to read in 2019 onto identical pieces of paper, fold them, place them in a bowl (or bucket, jar, box, etc.), and draw one to determine the very first book you’re going to start in the new year.

 

I got Boo to pick one out for me. My first read of 2019 will be:

 

 Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens  

 

Task 4: Find a bakery that sells Krapfen (German deep-fried sweet dough dumplings) or make them yourself (recipe here: https://germangirlinamerica.com/rheinische-ol-krapfen-new-year/) and enjoy with a glass of champagne or non-alcoholic bubbly drink – but first, take and post a photo of them!

 

As wonderful as these sound I don't plan on doing any baking for the moment.

 

Book: Read a book about endings, new starts, or books where things go BOOM!

 

 

Deadlocked - A.R. Wise 

 

3.5* read 31/12

 

4 points earned for Door 22

 

Total = 97

 

 

24 Festive Tasks: Door 21 Kwanzaa

 

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1: “Africa” was originally the name of the Roman province originating from the North African empire of Carthage, which was mythologically founded by Queen Dido and blossomed into Ancient Rome’s only lasting opponent and nemesis (until it was finally conquered by Rome in the Punic Wars). So: who are your five favorite book heroes and their respective nemeses?

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  - J.K. Rowling 

 

Harry Potter vs Voldemort

 

The Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris   

 

Clarice Starling vs Hannibal Lector & Buffalo Bill

 

Catching Fire - Suzanne  Collins 

 

Katniss Everdeen vs President Snow

 

The Missing and the Dead - Stuart MacBride 

 

Logan McCrae vs Chief Superintendent Nigel Napier (Professional Standards)

 

Murder of Crows - Anne Bishop 

 

Meg vs The Controller

 

 

 

Task 2: In Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, the “Finis Africae” is the hidden center of the labyrinth which constitutes the monastery’s library, protected by a number of intricate, misdirecting devices. Tell us: Where have you recently encountered clever misdirection or a labyrinthine plot in a book?

 

The Missing and the Dead - Stuart MacBride 

 

There was a lot going on in this book, multiple crime story lines that all weaved together for an excellent read that kept me guessing til the end.

 

 

Task 3: Tell us: If you could travel to Africa (for those living on the African continent: to a part of Africa that you don’t know yet): Where would you want to go?

 

 

Madagascar, for the wildlife there.

 

 

 

Task 4: Have a meal involving vegetables (= crops) and / or corn, or another form of traditional Kwanzaa dinner. Recipe suggestions here: https://kwanzaaculinarians.com/

 

 Pass on cooking anything at the moment.

 

 

Book: Read a book set in Africa or the Caribbean OR by an African, Caribbean, or African-American author OR a book with a green, red, or black cover.

 

Sour Candy - Kealan Patrick Burke 

 

5* read 30/12

 

4 points earned for Door 21

 

Total - 93

 

 

 

 

24 Festive Tasks: Door 17 St Lucia's Day

 

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1: In honor of the Icelandic Jólabókaflóðið / Yule Book Flood tradition, create a (virtual or physical) “book flood” and post a picture of it.

 

A book flood of my 5* reads for this year.

 

 

 

 

Task 2: Bake a Swedish lussebulle (saffron bun – instructions and recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWSs-vQX0AI) or prepare some other dish containing saffron.

 

Pass on this, I'm not baking anything at the moment.

 

Task 3: Create a “crown of light” from book covers prominently featuring a lighted candle.

 

 

 

Task 4: Guess (scout’s honor, NO GOOGLING!): Did the Gävle Goat survive this year? This works like the Melbourne Cup Pick Your Ponies task:  You get one point for guessing, and an extra point if you've guessed correctly -- which we'll reveal after Christmas (as this is how long the goat is *supposed* to survive).

 

For background: The Gävle Goat is a straw effigy erected in Gävle, Sweden, every year at the beginning of Advent. It is infamous for being burned down ahead of time, which as of Advent 2017 has happened in 37 of the 51 years of the tradition’s existence. – The Yule goat lore in turn goes back all the way to the Norse myths, where the god Thor rode a chariot drawn by two goats, and to ancient Indo-European and proto-Slavic beliefs according to which the harvest god appeared in the shape of a goat. Possibly, it is also linked with Santa Claus and his reindeer-driven sled.

 

I think it will be burnt down!

 

Book: Set in Scandinavia / Northern Europe, or by a Northern European / Nordic author, or a book newly released in November or December of this year.

 

Cold Dead Hands - Jeff Strand 

 

3.5* read 30/12

 

4 points earned for Door 17

 

Total - 89

24 Festive Tasks: Door 19 Festivus

 

 

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1:  It’s the annual airing of grievances!  Time to list the top 5 books that disappointed you the most this year and let us know why!

 

Crossed #0 - Garth Ennis 

 

Was looking forward to a gory graphic read from Garth Ennis but his usual attention to story and characters were missing from this. 

 

King of the Perverts - Steve Lowe 

 

Man competes in sex contest, this started out well but I thought the end was feel good and a cop out.

 

While You Sleep - Stephanie Merritt 

 

Frustrating read where just when you think something is going to happen the author ends the chapter, along with any tension built, and starts the next chapter on something different. 400 pages that was a bit of a snoozefest.

 

The Shadow, Vol. 1: The Fire of Creation - Aaron Campbell,Garth Ennis 

 

Wasn't a fan of the art, too many of the characters looked alike and the story wasn't that strong (at least in my opinion, I realise this gets a lot of love from fans). Enjoyed it more towards the end but too little too late.

 

Night - Marion Wiesel,Elie Wiesel 

 

As horrific as Mr Wiesel's story is I just found it to be too 'bitty' and fragmented. I can't help but feel that when your publishers make you condense an 800 page book to something about 125 pages the result is going to be a book that doesn't flow well.

 

 

 

Task 2:  Take a picture of your Festivus Pole (and remember this is a family site).

 

Skipping this as I don't have anything I could use as a Festivus pole.

 

Update - at Themis-Athena's suggestion, here is my Festivus pole with bonus appearance of Boo.

 

 

Task 3: Have your household scales perform a feat of strength: Place 10 of your heaviest books in a stack on your scales and tell us what their total weight comes to.

 

 

10 books weighed 33.8kg, Boo is curious about the activity and decides to come over for a sniff.

 

 

 

 

Task 4: Google the word “Festivus” and tell us or take a screenshot of what you see at the left border of the results page.

 

 

 

Book: Read any comedy, parody, or satire.

 

 

 

 Dead Clown Barbecue Expansion Pack - Jeff Strand  

 

4* read 30/12

 

 5 points earned for Door 19 

 

Total - 85

 

 

 

24 Festive Tasks: Door 15 Sinterklaas / St. Nicholas Day

 

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1:  Write a book wish list to St. Nick.

 

Dear Santa, 

 

Please may I have one (or all) of the following as I have been a very good girl this year (unfortunately).

 

Rolling in the Deep - Mira Grant 

The Order Of Genocide: Race, Power, And War In Rwanda - Scott Straus 

The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Volume Two - Grant Allen,Eliza Lynn Linton,Allen Grove 

Year's Best Hardcore Horror Volume 2 - Andrew Darlington,Tim Miller,Tim Waggoner,José Cruz,Randy Chandler,Bryan Smith,Wrath James White,Marvin T. Brown,William Grabowski,Cheryl Mullenax,Jeremy Thompson,Adam Cesare,Paolo Di Orazio,Eric LaRocca,Stephanie M. Wytovich,Stefanie Elrick,Jasper Bark,A 

Reborn - F. Paul Wilson 

 

 

 

Task 2: You are King / Queen for the day and can have 3 ‘wishes’:  one for yourself, one for your community (however you define it), and one for the world: What are they?

 

Myself - Spend more time reading, relaxing and making time for family and social interests.

 

Community - End the madness of Brexit and just get on with it, no more referendums, no appeasing the EU, just leave even if it's with a 'no deal'. Britain will be fine but the constant fucking up on the part of the politicians is creating tension that will boil over soon.

 

The World - Everyone just needs to take a collective breath, we are teetering on the edge of no return. I am dumbfounded at times at the lack of common sense in todays society and how far people are wiling to go in the name of 'I'm right and you're wrong'. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression and respect of all political, cultural and religious views needs to be the norm.

 

Task 3: If your holiday family traditions should include bowls or plates filled with gingerbread, cookies, oranges / tangerines, chocolate, nuts and the like, share a photo with us!

 

My mum has a paper mâche Santa carrying a sack that we used to fill with chocolates. I don't think my mum has done this for a few years although the Santa still gets put out on the window sill as a decoration. I don't have a photo of it unfortunately. 

 

Task 4: List your 3 favorite books involving children being rescued from serious peril.

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling,Mary GrandPré 

 

Harry being rescued by Firenze in the forbidden forest.

 

NOS4A2 - Joe Hill 

 

Vic rescuing her son from Charlie Manx in Christmasland

 

 

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins 

 

 

 Katniss risks her life to obtain medicine that saves Peeta's life.

 

 

Book: with an orange or red cover or with nuts, chocolate or coins on the cover, set in The Netherlands or Germany, by a Dutch or German author, or with canals or beer on the cover.

 

 

 

4* read 29/12

 

5 points earned for Door 15

 

Total - 80

24 Festive Tasks: Door 18 Winter Solstice / Yuletide

 

 

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1:  Bibliomancy: Grab one of your larger books and flip to the indicated page and line number to answer the following questions - then post those answers for us:

 

Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda - Samantha Power,Roméo Dallaire 

 

Will I read all the books on my TBR?

(page 378, line 29)

 

'an APC to go meet directly with the chief of staff of the RGF. I had no' 

 

I'm not sure what to make of this but it's 100% unlikely I will read the 1361 books that are currently on my TBR so that's a bit fat NO.

 

Will any of my 2019 reads be 5 stars? 

(page 227, line 31)

'made our way back to RGF headquarters. There were no new check-'

 

Again too obscure but I'm a star slut so I"m betting there'll be more than a few 5* reads for me.

 

Will I discover a new favorite book / author / series?
(page 309, line 23)

 

'the loss of KIBAT and to thank him for leaving us with Belgian equip-'

 

I'm getting a more positive vibe from this line so I"m going to say yes.

 

Will I discover that a major twist (hopefully, for the [even] better) has occurred in one of my favorite series?
(page 459, line 16)

 

'ism. The question did remain: Which man best expressed Turquoise's'

 

I going to say no for this one.

 

Will I finish all of my reading challenges in 2019?
(page 69, line 7)


'own officers, they treated all others in the RGF, and even myself, with'

 

 

Nothing from this line gives an answer but I'm fairly positive I'll finish my reading goals.

 

Will I stay within my book budget in 2019?
(page 98, line 5)

 

'elected governments, headed by a Hutu moderate, had been toppled by'

 

 

I think that'll be a no, I never give myself a book budget anyway just buy what I need although this year has been a lot less than previous years.



Task 2:  Tell us: What book did you read this year that felt like it was never going to end?

 

Some of the shorter books I read this year felt like they were never ending and I couldn't finish them fast enough to be done with them.

 

There’s a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed - Edgar Cantero 

 

This was only 40 pages but felt like 400. Couldn't get through it fast enough.

 

 

Task 3: Round up a herd of reindeer on book covers and in book illustrations.

 

 

Task 4: Treat yourself to a bûche de Noel (French Yule log cake) – if you want to try and make it yourself, see recipe here: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/buche-de-noel-recipe.

 

Pass on this, I'm too stuffed full of other food to even think about adding log cake into the mix. 

 

Book:  Any book that takes place in December or with ice or snow on the cover, revolving around the (summer or winter) equinox, or a collection of poetry by Hafez

 

 

 Snow Day - Dan Maurer  

 

3* read 26/12

 

4 points earned for Door 18

 

Total - 75

 

Merry Christmas to my BL buddies!

 

 

 

 

Currently reading

Cannibal Corpse, M/C by Tim Curran
Progress: 12%