I MADE IT - challenge news and reading update

Yup, I've just finished Scorch - the last book I needed to complete the Sequels Challenge! I really didn't think I'd make it, what with having to finish Ironskin too before it expired and university classes starting again, but I did. My review will be up later in the week because I want to spread them out a bit and I've already posted one on Friday and one today. But yup, Scorch is all read and damn did my eyes grow ever larger on those last two dozen or so pages! Can't wait for the next book!!

So here's the record of my victory:



You can click the first three to read my reviews. As I said, Scorch will be up later this week, as will Ironskin. I'm kinda proud of myself for completing the challenge, as I really doubted that I'd make it. I don't think I would have if Scorch hadn't arrived on release day - I knew this one would be a fast read, while Melissa de la Cruz's Masquerade would probably have taken me longer to finish. So now I'm kinda blinking in surprise at all the sequels I've cleaned up over the summer. I think Masquerade is the last one on my shelf, and it'll have to stay there a while longer while I read all the recent releases I got lately but couldn't read because of this challenge and my NetGalley books.


So here's what I plan to read over the next two or so weeks:



 I've already started reading my NetGalley copy of Death and the Girl Next Door but I'm not far in enough yet to say anything about it. And it nearly killed me to own Carnival and Unspoken and not to be allowed to read them!!! Other awesomeness on my shelf that I might get around to: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel, Touch by Jus Accardo, Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Foretold anthology edited by Carrie Ryan... I'll get around to them. The only good thing about my book buying ban is that I already own so much awesomeness :P

Have you taken part in any challenges recently? What were they for? Did you enjoy them?

Stacking the Shelves and Challenge Update

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to show off all the books we got that week, no matter what format or how we got them (bought, ARCs for review, gifted, won, borrowed...).

Since I'm still on my book buying ban (sucky but necessary), I only had one in my mailbox because I had preordered it. I was really happy to get it on release day! :D I'll start reading it over the weekend and I hope I can finish by Sunday night, because then I'll have completed the Sequels Challenge I'm participating in.

Scorch, by Gina Damico
Plus some origin swag including a signed sticker. I won that during the Origin Olympics that Jessica Khoury hosted shortly before the release.
Oh, and about the Scorch cover: it's actually shiny silver! That organge is a reflection. Strangely fitting though :P

September is for Sequels Challenge update:
I've reached the first half of my goals, which was to read & review Enshadowed and Black Heart. Click the titles to read my reviews.

I've got a good hundred pages left of Rachel Hawkins' Demon Glass, which I hope to read in the next 1.5 hours before I go to bed. That would leave me free to read & finish Scorch tomorrow (I'm writing this Friday night) and Sunday. I had originally planned to read Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz but I think Scorch will be a quicker read and the challenge ends on Sunday :P So I might complete it even though I started when half the time was gone, had to re-read a big book and started university again.
I also finished Ironskin by Tina Connolly, which will be published on Tuesday. I hope to get up my review on Monday.

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed: You've got until midnight on Sunday to squeeze in some last entries to my blogoversary giveaway ;) I'll probably pick the winner on Tuesday because I'll be busy on Monday. Good luck!

What books and goodies did you guys get this week? Link me up in the comments :)

September is for Sequels challenge

I'm taking part in Lisa from Lisa Loves Literature's September is for Sequels challenge! This is my first reading challenge since the Soul Screamers challenge which ended in June. The challene is about tackling all those sequels on the shelves that collect dust while we pick shiny new standalones or beginnings of serieses that have just been released. I've been meaning to catch up with quite a few of those dusty reads or begun serieses over the summer, but a final burst definitely can't hurt!

What I've managed so far:
1. Read Silence, by Becca Fitzpatrick.
2. Read Succubus revealed, by Richelle Mead - thus finished her Georgina Kincaid series.
3. Read the remaining two Vampire Academy novels and well as Bloodlines and The Golden Lily, also by Richelle Mead.
4. Read The Iron Daughter, by Julie Kagawa. I wanted to finish the series but that didn't happen.
5. Read Torment and Passion, by Lauren Kate.
6. Read The Devil's Graveyard, by Anonymous. One Bourbon Kid book left.
7. Read The Well of Lost Plots, by Jasper Fforde.
8. Read A Beautiful Evil, by Kelly Keaton

Hm. That's quite a few more sequels than I actually thought o.O But there are still some left. To participate in the challenge I have to read at least 4 sequels in September. The Well of Lost Plots would fall into that time period, but I'm not counting it because that was before signing up (unless I would otherwise not make it through, haha). Anyway, with university starting again next week I won't be able to read as much as usual during the remaining two September weeks. So here's my plan:

1. Read Enshadowed, by Kelly Creagh. I'm re-reading Nevermore right now to prepare (&because I love it).
2. Read Black Heart, by Holly Black.
3. Read Demonglass, by Rachel Hawkins.
4. Read Masquerade, by Melissa de la Cruz.

All of those have been on my shelves, some longer than others. If I finish ahead of time, I'll also read some of the remaining Sandman graphic novels by Neil Gaiman.

I hope I'll complete my goal and that it'll be fun :) There's also a giveaway involved, in case any of you who would also like to participate need motivation ;) You can still sign up until the end of September 15th. Just click the link at the top of this post to enter.