Summer Surge: Challenges

The Summer Surge Read-A-Thon is being run over at Book Badger. It's got interviews with other bloggers, readalongs, challenges and giveaways.


I am going to attempt to do more than one challenge in this, seeing as I am really behind!

Spine Poetry

I found this one so unbelievably diffifcult. Stacie gave me a ton of inspiration, but it's still taken me forever to even attempt it. And even then, I have probably done it wrong, haha!

It's an ugly love,

The kiss of deception.

You're a cruel beauty.

And the distance between us is never easy.

Boys like you, the dangerous boys,

You're not what I thought was true.

I'm so far from you.

Maybe someday you'll know where you'll find me.

Character Personality

Pick 5 characters from books you have read in 2014 that each reflect an area of your personality. WOW! This one was ridiculously hard for me, but I think I have it covered.

Caymen Meyers from The Distance Between Us

I loved this character, and I saw a lot of myself in her too. Mainly her ridiculously sarcastic and dry sense of humour. I loved her banter with Xander and their brilliant back and forth. Her humour was so similar, if not identical, to my own that I could not get enough of it. She was so easy to relate to, I definitely saw a lot of myself in her.

Charlie Reynolds from On The Fence

Apparently Kasie West knows how to write characters that I see myself in. Charlie was a tomboy, I was definitely  huge tomboy when I was a child and very much so in my early teen years. I loved watching Charlie discover make-up and dresses and skirts, I went through the exact same thing. I was also completely useless at it, and still am. She also preferred the company of guys and had more guy friends, which is true for me as well.

Celaena Sardothian from The Throne of Glass series

That's right people, I am a hardcore, dangerous assassin. I kid, I kid. Or do I? So, I might have the upper body strength of a two year old, but I definitely saw some of myself in Celaena. Mostly her love of sweets and reading. And her temper! Don't mess with me when I am angry, I might be capable of turning into an assassin then.

Lara Jean from To All The Boys I've Loved Before

She's really shy and terrible about telling people how she really feels - so me. She's not even able to admit any of her crushes out loud, just pens all her feelings into letters that she never sends. 

Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series

I'm totally going to be the Lord Voldemort of the library world. After my hideous, awful and unbelievably stressful day at work yesterday, I can totally relate to all his anger towards large amounts of the human population and wanting to destroy them all. Stupid people who ruin my day... watch out, I'm coming for you!

Follow That Title

I had to pick one word from the list that Amanda listed and find a book I read in the last 12 months with that title. I then had to find another book with at least one of the words from the first title in it, and have at least one word different.

Dangerous Girls

Dangerous Boys

To All The Boys I've Loved Before

The Truth About Alice

All The Truth That's In Me

Where You'll Find Me

I think I might have even done this one wrong, but it's now 1:00 and it's taken me forever just to get that done. Fingers crossed!

I have read and loved both of Abigail's books, Dangerous Girls & Dangerous Boys. To celebrate the release of Dangerous Boys, I am giving 1 winner the chance to win paperback copies of both Dangerous Boys and Dangerous Girls. It's open internationally, as long as Book Depository ships to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm Not Sure I Want To Read
Boomerang by Noelle August: 4/5 Review
Films for Thoughts on Thursday: Guardians of the Galaxy 7/10 Review
Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas: 4.5/5 Review & Giveaway
Five Friday Favourites: Favourite Films
My Weekly Book Haul: 16/08/2014
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover: 4.5/5 Review

Summer Surge: Spell It Out & Twitter Challenges

The Summer Surge Read-A-Thon is being run over at Book Badger. It's got interviews with other bloggers, readalongs, challenges and giveaways.

I've been running quite a bit behind because I took a week off from blogging. I didn't use that time to schedule posts because I just needed a break. I am trying to get some scheduled but I have a lot to catch up on. I am going to do two of the challenges in one post today.

Spell It Out

This is one of 5 challenges, each of which will earn you an entry on a giveaway over at Book Badger. The challenge is to use the first letter of books you have read in 2014 to spell out a summer themed word, 4 words or more. 

Sandcastle

Scarlet

Assassin's Blade

Nantucket Blue

Dangerous Girls

Crown of Midnight

After the End

Split Second

Throne of Glass

Life by Committee

Easy

Twitter Book Recommendation Challenge

This challenge is to recommend four different books from four different genres, but you can only do it in 140 characters or less. 

Throne of Glass:

A fast-paced, fantasy read that will hook you from the first page, with characters to love and a romance to ship so hard it hurts. (130 characters)

Dangerous Girls:

An unputdownable thriller that will keep you guessing till the very last page. You will trust no one and suspect everyone. (121 characters)

Under the Never Sky:

A dystopian that sets itself apart from the rest. The secondary characters can steal your heart and the spotlight. Not to be missed! (128 characters)

Maybe Someday:

Combining an unforgettable story with a beautiful soundtrack, this is a reading experience you will never forget. 

I'm currently celebrating July with a giveaway! I am giving 6 winners the chance to win a book of their choice, worth up to £10, from Book Depository. For all the details you can go to the original post.

I am also taking part in Book Badger's Summer Surge Read-a-thon. I even did an interview for it and have done a giveaway as well. You can win one of my favourite summer reads, to find out what they are then go over to the original interview post. Be sure to sign up for the read-a-thon while you are at it, it's going to be a ton of fun!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas: 4.5/5 Review

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I Want On A Deserted Island With Me

Films for Thoughts on Thursday: How To Train Your Dragon 2 9.5/10 Review

2014 First In A Series Challenge: Sign Up & Current Progress

YAY! I have found yet another series to participate in! I love the sound of this as it matches up perfectly with my 2014 Series Challenge, and I have read quite a lot of series starters already this year. I am a sucker for a challenge and this is one I really think I will do well with. You can sign up for it at Darlene's Book Nook.



So if you want all the rules then go to her page but the basics are:

1. It runs 1st Jan - 31st December 2014
2. Can join at any time.
3. Don't need a blog to participate.
4. All book formats count.
5. Four levels to the challenge: Novice: 5 books, Lover: 10 books, Expert: 20 books, Fanatic: 30 books


Well it says you need to pick your level, you can go up at any time but can't go down. I am going to pick Series Expert, which means that I aim to read 20 books that are the first in a series. Now let's check my progress so far this year. I had to miss some as I DNF them, they deserved the DNF though because they were HORRIBLE!

1. The Program by Suzanne Young
2. Splintered by A. G. Howard
3. Impostor by Susanne Winnacker
4. Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton
5. Starters by Lissa Price
6. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
7. Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
8. Easy by Tammara Webber
9. After the End by Amy Plum
10. Ashfall by Mike Mullin
11. Exile by Kevin Emerson
12. Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland
13. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I'm really proud of my progess on this one, I could probably hit the 30 books one by the end of the year. I had to leave off two: Avalon and Storm because I DNF both of those. This is an easier challenge for me because most books coming out at the minute are book one in a new series. I am committing myself to a lot of series right now, it's a real problem.

2014 Series Challenge: Sign Up & Current Progress

his is a challenge that is being hosted over at Read, Sleep, Repeat, and it focuses on finishing series, you have to actually get to the end of the series. This is the perfect challenge for me as I have so many series waiting to be read. Here are the rules:

• You have to FINISH the series
• If the series isn't complete yet, or will not be completed before 1st December 2014, read up to the most current book in the series.
• Novellas count but are optional.
• Have FUN
• If you decide to break up with a series after book one, it doesn't count.
• You don't have to START the series in 2014, you just have to FINISH in 2014.
• The series has to have at least 2 books out pripr to 1st December 2014.
• Proof that you finished the book is required, by full review, mini review or a rating with a few lines.
• DNF's do not count. 

There is also a rating system and I will be aiming for the Gold Badge, which is completing 7-11 series this year. I CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT!

So, as I am only just signing up, I want to see how I am doing so far. So here's all the series I have FINISHED in 2014.

4 Series Finished

1. The Program & The Treatment by Suzanne Young

2. Under the Never Sky, Through the Ever Night, Roar & Liv, Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

3. Starters & Enders by Lissa Price

 4. Nantucket Blue & Nantucket Red by Leila Howland

Not only did I finish 4 series, but I successfully read EVERY book in all of those four series in 2014. That makes me very proud, that's 9 books and 1 novella all within 4 months. Hopefully I can finish this challenge and read 7-11 series by then. 

2014 Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge

This is hosted over at Falling for YA and this is a challenge I could really use. I may have gone a little over the top with how many titles I have requested and downloaded from Edelweiss and Netgalley, it's only been four months and I already have a large collection. So this challenge should really help me get through a lot of them. 

Challenge Guidelines

• This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2014 – Dec 31, 2014.
• Anyone is welcome to join. You do not need to be a blogger, just post your reviews and go back every month to link them up. 
• Any genre, release date, request date, length, etc. counts so long as it came from Edelweiss or Netgalley.
• At the beginning of each month there will be a roundup post for you to add your reviews.
• If you forget to link up one month it's not a problem just add your reviews next month.
• If you would like to move up or down levels that is completely fine and at your discretion
• Throughout the year there will be giveaways for Challenge participants, make sure to check in regularly and follow this blog so you don't miss any!
• If you have any questions tweet Emily @FallingForYA or e-mail Emisbookblog@aol.com

Levels

Aluminum – 5 books
Bronze – 10 books
Silver – 25 books
Gold – 50 books
Platinum – 75 books
Diamond– 100 books

I'm really hoping to go for Gold, or even Platinum!

So here are all my ARCs atm that still need reading. These are in some kind of order, from earliest release date to latest. But no links to the books, that would take far too long!





Now that I've organised them, I've realised just how many I have! That's 52 I still have to read already... oops! I really need to stop myself requesting more.