Tobey’s Comments (group member since Nov 02, 2010)

Tobey’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

Know Your ABC's

15.3 - 3rd Book (Letter C) Nothing to Lose by Lee Child

+15 Task

Task Total=15
Grand Total=180 pts

ABC's

15.2 - 2nd Book (Letter B) The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

+15 Task

Task Total=15
Grand Total=165pts

ABC's

15.1 1st Book - Letter A - The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

+15 Task

Task Total=15
Grand Total=150 pts

RwS

10.9 To Be Continued... Hammered by Kevin Hearne

Oh Atticus, what a tangled web you weave….
This was by far my favorite book so far in this series so far. I thought it was highly entertaining and really felt for the struggle Atticus was in. Do you listen to the Gods or do you keep your word to your friends and cause major chaos to the world? Tough choice and in the end, I’m not sure Atticus made the proper choice but along the way, Hearne had me highly amused at the sub-plots interwoven into the main story (I particularly liked the Jesus storyline) and the characters were fantastic (I was almost in tears at the end of the one God’s story with the sea serpent). I almost wanted to kill Thor myself. Great series and I’m glad there are more coming!

+10 Task (the third book in Iron Druid Chronicles)
+5 Combo (10.7)
+10 Review

Task Total=25
Grand Total=135 pts

RwS

10.7 Monsterfest - Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Hexed is the second book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and it begins almost right where the first one leaves off and it doesn’t take long for the action to start and things get heated up for Atticus. Atticus gets involved with a coven of witches and witches are one of his least favorite magical creatures and along the way, Atticus becomes embroiled in something much bigger than he wants to be in.
This book is filled with magic and devilry. Trust and honor, humor and wit and I am enjoying this series immensely and I can’t wait to see what happens in Atticus next adventure!

+10 Task (ghouls, demons, etc)
+10 Review
+5 Multiple (2nd time I've completed this task)

Task Total=25
Grand Total=110 pts

10.7 Monsterfest - Hounded by Kevin Hearne

This series came highly recommended to me by a friend and I can see why (and no, it’s not only so as you can drool over the hunk on the front cover but that certainly helps). I would call it urban fantasy with a lot of “mythology” thrown in. A light hearted read with a lot of laughs and some really good characters. At first I didn’t want to like Atticus but it didn’t take me long to warm up to him at all and now I’ll always be a fan. While there are a lot of “monsters” in this book, it took quite a few pages for there to be some “bad” monsters. Highly recommended, reading book 2 already!

+10 Task (some serious ghouls, demons)
+10 Review

Task Total=20
Grand Total=85

RwS

10.4 Celebrate Fall - White Night by Jim Butcher

(I admit, I'm not sure if this qualifies for this task as I can't say for sure if the color is referring to the Night but I think so)

Hells bells, I really enjoyed this installment of the Dresden files. The story flowed nicely, wasn’t too confusing for me as I find that sometimes, some of the plotlines are hard to follow. Harry is becoming a favorite character of mine and there were a lot of laugh out loud moments in this one from Harry as well as his co-horts. What I do find about this series is that sometimes there’s too much mumbo jumbo about things that I can’t keep straight in my head but there wasn’t as much in this book and what was there, came towards the end so I didn’t have to worry about it too much. Doesn’t that sound terrible? I read a lot of fantasy but for some reason, I have trouble keeping the different councils and bad guys straight. Still, a good read, can’t wait to find out what happens next.

+10 Task
+5 Combo (10.7 - all kinds of bad guys present, mostly beginning on page 183 with an assortment of ghouls)
+10 Review

Task Total=25
Grand Total=65

Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series should qualify I think. I have City of Glass (I think it's this one) waiitng on my shelf but it's been awhile since I read the last one.

Okay suggestions:

Jim Butcher's Dresden files (a plethora of paranormal)
Simon R Green' Nightside series (another plethora of paranormal)

Paula - It's funny that you are stuck on Monsterfest as my TBR is loaded with books with ghouls, goblins, vampires and the like. I'm sure you will come up with something though as there is lots out there.

RwS
20.8 - Veteran's Day

Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz

This third installment of the Odd Thomas series I had such high hopes for and for the most part, I was not disappointed. I will say that I should have read the 3 “interludes” that led up to this novel but in my zeal to get it started, I totally forgot I had them on the Kindle until I was well into the novel. While Apocalypse took a while to get going, it did lead into one of my very favorite subjects of which I love reading about ( I won’t say what it is lest I give it away). This is not a standalone novel though so for those interested, read the first Odd Thomas book, else you will be totally lost.

+20 Task
+10 Combo (10.7 - Swine freaks present, 10.2 - Author born in the US)
+10 Review

Task total=40
Grand Total=40

Great, thanks Kate!

To clarify 10.9. I can claim the task as is and earn combo points but cannot use it to earn combo points on another task, do I understand that correctly? For instance, I'm reading Odd Apocalypse which I can combo 10.7, 10.2 & 20.8. But I can't claim this book as 20.8 and use 10.9 as combo right?

Sorry, I've just never quite wrapped my head around this one and I want to understand it in my own brainpan! :-)

RwS

10.6 O Canada - The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

I was disappointed. I know, I know, this has gotten rave reviews from a lot of people but it just didn't do it for me. I read somebody's comment somewhere that if you think of it like a cartoon, it helps and that I can see but maybe western's just aren't my style.

+5 Combo (10.5 Road Trip)

Task Total=15
Grand Total=130

RwS

10.4 Hot Summer Nights - Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

I was supposed to read this last year during a challenge between a friend and myself but I never got around to it. She always maintained that it was just ok but I finally gave it a go an enjoyed it for the most part. After looking at the Steampunk lists and reading the actual definition, I finally understand what the genre is.

+10 Task

Task Total=10
Grand Total=115

RwS

10.8 Pick A Pulitzer - The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson

While I enjoyed this for the most part, I wouldn't have awarded it a Pulitzer Prize.

+10 Task

Task Total=10
Grand Total=105

RwS

20.4 Literature Map - F. Paul Wilson

Bloodline: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins

I'm so lucky that the author I chose for my Literature Map yielded me some of my favorite authors who just happened to have new books coming out. Bloodline is the newest in Rollins Sigma Force series and it didn't disappoint. An intensely-frightening (at times) storyline with some surprises for Sigma fans. Worth the read.

+20 Task

20.4 Literature Map - F.Paul Wilson

Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold

I'm a fantasy lover and there are so many great fantasy authors out there that I've heard great things about and Bujold is one of them. This is not the series of hers that people seem to rave about and I can see why. I was disappointed in the novel as I found it was much more a romance than a fantasy. I think the world she has created has many possibilities but I'm just not sure if I'm going to go back to explore it or not.

+20 Task

Task Total=40
Grand Total=95

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "We have a style where you earn points for reading a series book, and it compounds. We haven't used it for awhile, perhaps it's time to bring it out again."

But wouldn't it have to fit a task first to get those style points for? I think that's where people get caught up. I love the To Be Continues task idea...

Oh well crap! Too bad for me! :-)

My map comes up with Dean Koontz as one of my authors. Can I read three of his newly released novellas to claim as points for this task? I believe each novella is less than 70 pages. (they are on my Kindle which I don't currently have in front of me to check)