Tome Topple Readathon Sign Up & Updates

I have been waiting for the Tome Topple Readathon/ Challenge to come around again! I have a bunch of chunky books on my TBR this year and I have been pushing some of the ones over 500 pages off for far too long!

By the time the post goes up, the readathon will have already started, I will hopefully have finished Hugo Cabret and be well into Crooked Kingdom.  I will then pick up Grace of Kings or Tiger's Daughter depending on if I can find anyone to buddy read with me.

 I discovered the Tome Topple Challenge through Sam at Thoughts on Tomes on Youtube and the Readathon is hosted as a Goodreads Group. The goal for this challenge is to tackle the Tomes on your shelf, books over 500 pages.  There are a few challenges to help you along, but are not a requirement.  Those challenges are A) read 2 or more tomes, B) read a Graphic Novel, C) buddy read a tome, D) read a tome that is part of a series, and E) read an adult tome. The readathon takes place from June 29th through July 13th.    (There is also a photo challenge this time around on Instagram, check it out @ThoughtsonTomes)

I will try to post updated at the bottom of this post every few days but I will also be posting on Instagram @EasternSunset9

So here is my Tomes to be Toppled:

Crooked Kingdom - 536 pages (part of a series)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret - 530 pages  (as close to a graphic as I could get)

Grace of Kings - 623 pages (adult & possibly buddy read)

Tiger's Daughter - 526 pages (Adult & possibly buddy read)

Are you participating in the Tome Topple? If yes what are you reading? If not what would be your tome choice? What chunky book do you find intimidating?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Updates:

RI Author Month: Bedtime Story: Rhode Island's Friendly Faces by Roberta Mudge Humble

Welcome to the RI Author Month

Synopsis: On the Rhode with the Old Windmill follows the historic windmill from Prescott Farms in Middletown RI, as he visits some of the other historic buildings and sites to see Rhode Island.

My Review:  I picked this book up for Munchkin a while ago and it is definitely meant for an older audience (though I doubt the pre-teen audience would like to be reading a picture book). With that said, Munchkin loves to spot things he has seen in books and he really enjoys geography, he is constantly asking what town we are in when driving.  This book really could have been split into at least two, one for when some of the old buildings come to visit the windmill for dinner and one where he travels throughout the state.  We really do get to see a lot of historic places and sites to see, even more than I know of even living here.  There are a lot of facts included as well that visitors and residents will find interesting.  

My Rating: This is definitely a fun book and would be great to have if you are planning a trip to RI. While it is kind of an awkward book for a target audience, with it being a picture book but meant for an older audience, it can be read in pieces and enjoyed by all. I give it a rating of Three Paws.

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

RI Author Month: RI Short Story Club Collection

Welcome to the RI Author Month

Synopsis: A collection of short stories, essays and poems collected from various members of the Rhode Island Short Story Club over the many years of membership. 

My Review: I honestly had no idea there was a short story club in Rhode Island until I came across their booth at one of the author events. Not only is there a short story club but it has been running for well over 100 years! This book has both a brief history of the club, it's founding and some information on the prominent members throughout history.  I was honestly really surprised at how many members were influential both locally and nationally throughout history.  It also has quite the collection and variety of stories and poems.  It was interesting to see how the writing styles and subject matters have changed throughout history, but obviously the love for writing and the written word survives it all.  

My Rating: As with many anthology collections some pieces are to my liking and some are not, some I even skimmed but all in all I really appreciated this collection. I particularly found interest in the history of the club.  I give this one a rating of Three Paws.

You can find out more about the Rhode Island Short Story Club on the website, this is also I believe the only way to obtain one of these collections unless you happen to catch them at a local event.  As the club is still in operation and still meets regularly, I might just have to try to stop in for a meeting or two!

RI Author Month: One White Lie by Jeannette Winters

Welcome to the RI Author Month

Synopsis: "Brice Henderson traded everything for power and success. His company was closing a deal that would cement his spot at the top. The last thing he needed was a distraction from the past. 

Lena Razzi had spent years trying to forget Brice Henderson. When offered the opportunity of a lifetime, would she take the risk even if the price would be another broken heart? 

Do you love reading from this world? Continue with Always Mine from my sister, Ruth Cardello, Her series will mirror my time line. It isn’t necessary to read hers to enjoy mine, but it sure will enhance the fun!"

My Review: I picked this book up at a local author event, I am always a sucker for Billionaire romances. I didn't realize that this was a branch off series from another author, but I really didn't need to read that series to enjoy this one. I like the idea way that Winters set the tone with back history with the two characters, it made it easier to build in a short book from there. I do however really have a hard time with the secret baby trope, just my own quirk, but with that said I did like the way it was handled from Brice's end. I didn't really connect with the characters that much but I did enjoy the book enough to continue with the series and hope that there are no more of my disliked tropes.

My Rating: Yesterday I posted about the first book in Winter's Southern Desire series that features more of a thriller/small town/ western theme, today it is all about the beloved Billionaire sub-genre.  As I said above, I really enjoy billionaire romances but secret babies are becoming a no-go for me.  While I was not thrilled with that aspect, I still enjoyed enough of the story and characters built around it to enjoy this story and continue the series.  I give it a rating of Three Paws.

You can find out more about Jeannette Winters and her books on her Goodreads Page or Website.

As with Southern Spice, you can give One White Lie a try for FREE right now in ebook format on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  

Another great aspect of Jeannette Winters, is that she also releases many of her romance books in Sweet versions, which tones down the explicit scenes for those of you who prefer the story without the steamy bedroom scenes, you can try the Sweet Version of One White Lie for free on Barnes & Noble if you prefer.

RI Author Month: Southern Spice by Jeanette Winters

Welcome to the RI Author Month

Synopsis: "Derrick Nash knows the pain of loss. But is he seeking justice or revenge? He doesn’t care as long as someone pays the price.

It is Casey Collin’s duty at FEMA to help those in need when a natural disaster strikes. After a tornado hits Honeywell, she finds there are more problems than just storm damage. Will she follow company procedures or her heart?

Can Derrick move forward without the answers he’s been searching for? Can Casey teach him how to trust again? Or will she need to face the fact that not every story has a happy ending?"

My Review: I picked this book up at the RI Author Expo back in December, I always love discovering local authors to support there. I tend to really enjoy small town romances and this sounded like a perfect fit. We do get a nice taste of that small town, western atmosphere but I would have preferred more of it. I really enjoyed Casey's character, she was spunky but not overly so and had some nice room for development throughout the book. Derrick however was not my cup of tea, normally I love the dark brooding types but he was a little too stuck in the dark for me and made too rapid of a turn around. I also found myself a little too in the dark as to what exactly is going on in the background with FEMA reports, but I am hopeful that more of that will be revealed as the series continues. Which I do plan to continue the series because I am very intrigued by several of the side characters and can't wait to read more. 

My Rating: This was okay, there were things I really enjoyed and things I wasn't such a fan of, but I think it is a good first book in the series, I want to keep reading to find out more about the possible corruption. I also think it is a good way to dip your toes into a more thriller style romance.  I give it a rating of Three Paws.

You can find out more about Jeannette Winters and her books on her Goodreads Page or Website.

And as of right now you can obtain your own copy of Southern Spice in ebook format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble for FREE! Give it a try and you may find that you really enjoy it!

Monday Reading List

Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

Tyler's Tall Tales: Chasing the Moon by Ashley Richer (Bedtime Story)
Green Mountain Series & Butler, VT Series by Marie Force (Series Review)
Sunny by Theresa MacInnis Schimmel (Bedtime Story)
Common Ground: A Frontier Fantasy by Ryan Pancoast (Graphic Novel)

 Books Finished Last Week:

Reviews will be posted at a later date

Pride's Spell
Idle Ingredients
American Panda
A Torch Against the Night
Mask of Shadows
RI Short Story Club Collection

Currently Reading:

Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller - Print - on page 36 of  416
Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir - Audio - 8%
Grace of Kings by Ken Liu - Multiple Formats - 6%

Pages Read/ Time Listened
319:56 Hours Listened (32:13 listened this week)
21,408 Pages Read (788 this week)

Books Added to Shelves Recently: TBR
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirley Jackson
To the Sky Kingdom by Tang Qi
Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry
Luck Love and Lemon Pie by Amy E. Reichert
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Terrier by Tamora Pierce
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Reflections of Yesterday by Debbie Macomber
Jedi Search by Kevin J. Anderson
Eko by Loren Walker
Caging the Merrow by Heather Rigney
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Opel
The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
Greedy Pigs by Matt Wallace
Lustlocked by Matt Wallace
Black Powder War by Naomi Novik
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
The Scandalous MacKenzies by Jennifer Ashley
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
The Stolen Mackenzie Bride by Jennifer Ashley
Frankenstein Alive! Alive! Trio by Steve Niles
Frankenstein, Alive! Alive! #4 by Steve Niles
Hard to Serve by Laura Kaye
Mastering Her Senses by Laura Kaye
Theirs to Take by Laura Kaye
Nightblade's Vengeance by Ryan Kirk
Circe by Madeline Miller
Tomorrowland by Steven Kotler
The Wolf by Leo Carew
My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran & Larissa Zageris
Beyond the Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake
Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso
True North by Marie Force
The Sorting Room by Angelina Singer
Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire
Frankenstein Dreams by Michael Sims
The Belgaraid by David Eddings
The Rhode Island Short Story Club presents The Club
Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Prince of Persia by Jordan Mencher
Zenith by Sasha Alsberg & Lindsay Cummings
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett
Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
The Marriage Arrangement by Jennifer Probst
Fight for Everything by Laura Kaye
Catching Stars by Cayla Keenan
Light as Air by Mari Carr
Furyborn by Claire Legrand
Sweet Tea and Sympathy by Molly Harper
Half Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker
A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
Pride's Spell by Matt Wallace 
Idle Ingredients by Matt Wallace
Guardian of Whills by Greg Rucka
Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Opal
The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig
And I Darken by Kiersten White
Frostbite by Joshua Williamson
The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Pirateology by Dugald Steer
Polly and the Pirates: Vol. 1 by Ted Naifeh
Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Theodore Roszak
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Wow! Last week really made up for the week before! I got a ton of reading done, got caught up in the office and with the housework.  I have to say as much as I love watching Munchkin play sports, I was a little too happy to see the Tball season end on Saturday and I can get 2 days back a week. Anyway, one of the downfalls about not being able to read much two weeks ago, was that I ended up placing orders for books and they all arrived last week! Gah! What was I thinking?!  Oh yeah, I was thinking that I am really enjoying Pirate books lately and I am once again planning to attend the Boston Teen Author Festival and they are having a bingo for reading the books by the authors attending.

In other exciting news, don't forget to enter the Giveaway for Marie Force's books! And in other exciting news, I am actually taking a day off, between a few appointments I will have some time to read, and then I get to spend the evening at a Sabaa Tahir event at An Unlikely Story, so be sure to check my Instagram for updates on that fun event!

So much bookish fun this week! I hope your week is also filled with wonderful stories!