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January Reading Challenge
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I am going to do a challenge this month of 2014 pages to honor the new year.While I haven't selected all of the books yet, Here is what I was thinking so far
One 400 pages or more book. (Running page count 420)
How the Zombie Game Is Really Played by Dave McCourt 420 pages Could not finish but reviewed the 120+ pages that I did read
I don't know if I'll replace this book in my challenge or not. I spent a fair amount of time reading this before I shelved it as "could not finish". I have another reading challenge going on in a different group. I might just count one of those books instead of adding a new one here, though its a different genre.
Here's the book review I wrote for this title.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Two 300 pages or more books. (Running page count will be 1130 pages when done with these 3)
Man Eaters by Linda Kay Silva 382 pages[Now I have just started reading this next one, I have read 25 pages but I am going to put it on hold until the first and read on from there.]
****
Ward Z by Amy Cross 328 pages Read and reviewed 4/5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Two 200 pages or more books.(Running page count 1626 pages when all 5 books are read )
**
Hainted by Jordan L. Hawk 249 pagesRead and reviewed 2/5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Squanto Undead: Wake the Undead collected edition Aka (Squanto Undead Omnibus) by Stacy Buck 247 pages (Buddy Read)
Two 100 pages or more books. (Running page count of 1914 pages)
Abercrombie Zombie by K.Z. Snow 138 Pages***
Jaclyn and the Beanstalk by A.J. Riley 150 PagesRead and reviewed 3/5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Two Less than 100 Page books (Final page count 2024, which is over 2014, but it was near impossible to hit even. We'll call it 'government math' and it will be perfect!)
Zombies VS Vampires VS Demons - Red Bundle by Dawn Harshaw (Smashwords edition which is 52 pages and currently free on Smashwords. However goodreads has it listed as 36 pages so that is what I am counting it as.)****
I Fell in Love with a Zombie by Sean Kennedy 74 pages
Read and reviewed 4/5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I can already feel myself cringe with this last book because I am not much of a romance kind of person but it's on my to read list, might as well get it read.
1/6/2014 Note: OK folks, I am eating my hat here. This story turned out to be pretty good.
*I reserve the right to add non-zombie titles into my mix, but will attempt to do mostly zombie books.
Read the Month Zombie Edition - January Duration: January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014
Read 0/7 books
In honor of the first month of the new year, my January zombie reading challenge is to read out the first thing that most ordinary people think of - stereotypically - when they think of zombies: BRAINS!
You can use the author's first or last name, or any word in the title of the book you wish to read. Switching out books and genres is entirely acceptable.
B -
R -
A -
I -
N -
S -
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
Read 0/7 booksOkay, I'll show you mine! I'm using the BOTM "Better Stay Dead" and Buddy Read "Squanto Undead" to ease into this challenge.
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
I - Infection Journal, The, by C.A. Wodensen
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
I'm in!! Read 7/7 books
B -
R -
A -
I -
N -
S -
! -
Well, I finally have all of my 'January Reading Challenge' books selected.Bring on the New Year!
Sara, would you maybe want to do a buddy read for 'I am Legend'? It's on my 2014 to-read alphabet challenge list, and I figure it could help us get it read quickly. Let me know! Thanks!I'm going to give this a try! I haven't picked all my books yet, but I'll put what I've decided so far down...
COMPLETED: 0/7
B: Big Egos
R: Rise of the Horde
A: Apocalypse Cow
I: I Am Legend
N: Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman
S: Seven Deadlies: A Cautionary Tale
!: Etiquette & Espionage
Hopefully this one goes better than last month! ;-)
~Teresa~
Awesomesauce! More participants for the zombie meatgrinder this month...I pulled down Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies On the Next Geraldo and saw it was only about 25 pages or so... so I will add another "R" book to my challenge...and roll the "R"s...
Duration: January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014Read 2/7 books
Two in, a few more to go! Still looking for a second R...
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan in progress
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti - 01.01.2014 (★★★★)
R - R
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
I - Infection Journal, The, by C.A. Wodensen
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery 01.04.2014 (★★★★)
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck in progress
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
xxxx
Hey Netanella! Just noticed you have Alice in Deadland as one of your books. Wanna do a buddy read with it? I got it for Christmas (Mikie went straight to his 'go-to' gift for ALL occasions- BOOKS!!! Now I have like 10 newbies, and this is one). Let me know what ya think! This year, instead of trying to read 3-5 books at once, I'm going to just read one cover to cover before starting another (although I probably WILL have a short story collection with me at all times- old habits die hard!)~Teresa~
Hey Teresa - good to hear from you! I just started "Alice" last night. I'm up for a Buddy Read.
Okay, Alice is down but not dead! Still looking for a wildcard and another "R" book.Read 3/7 books
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan in progress
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti - 01.01.2014 (★★★★)
R - R
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - 01.08.2014 (★★★)
I - Infection Journal, The, by C.A. Wodensen
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery 01.04.2014 (★★★★)
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck in progress
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
xxxx
I'm giving you all notice, there is as strong possibility that I will stop reading "How the Zombie Game Is Really Played".It is disturbingly violent.
For a couple chapters now the main character Hoyle has been held prisoner, tortured and brainwashed. It is past just saying this or that happens. The character is living this out day by day hour by hour, one brutality after the next.
In short, this book is truly horrific.
I won't go into the details but it's been bad!
On top of that they have placed a naked lady in the holding cell with him so that they could have the "sex" scenes in the middle of this repulsive violence.
And she is quite a monster. She just killed an innocent prisoner, hacked of his head, and ate his flesh as she stripped off extra to send to the other cannibals.
OK just typing that line made me 100% certain that I am shelving that book as Could not finish.
The sad thing is that I have read 33%.
Tammy K. wrote: "I'm giving you all notice, there is as strong possibility that I will stop reading "How the Zombie Game Is Really Played".It is disturbingly violent.
For a couple chapters now the main character ..."
Wow. And the zombies haven't come out yet...
Read the Month Zombie Edition - January Duration: January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014
Read 5/7 books
I'm updating as I go along, rather than editing the original post. I switched out my "I" book for DiLouie's Infection 2 - The Killing Floor, as I couldn't seem to locate "The Infection Journal."
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan - 01.18.2014 (★) DNF
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti - 01.01.2014 (★★★★)
R - R
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - 01.08.2014 (★★★)
I - The Infection 2 - The Killing Floor by Craig DiLouie - in progress
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery 01.04.2014 (★★★★)
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck - 01.18.2014 (★★★)
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
xxxx
I have resigned from the Zombies group effective today.I put in too much time in this group to have my efforts disrespected.
What???Well, Netanella....looks like it's just me and you on the January challenge. Unless Teresa resurfaces....Tereeeeeesa.....where are you???
Next month's challenge should be:
D
R
A
M
A
*sigh* I know. I will still be reading, at any rate, as I'm sure everyone else will be. We just might not see their posts. I'm sure Teresa will resurface on this thread to update her reads!On a plus note, "The Killing Floor" is really darn good! If you haven't read any Craig DiLouie before, you should give him a try. He's got a nice, present-tense writing style that really puts you in the action.
Did you like "The Infection" then? I'm assuming that's where I should start, right?
Yes, start there. If not, the second book will hard to follow.
Read the Month Zombie Edition - January Duration: January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014
Read 6/7 books
Really, really, really enjoyed "The Infection 2-The Killing Floor"
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan - 01.18.2014 (★) DNF
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti - 01.01.2014 (★★★★)
R - R
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - 01.08.2014 (★★★)
I - The Infection 2 - The Killing Floor by Craig DiLouie - 01.21.2014 (★★★★★)
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery 01.04.2014 (★★★★)
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck - 01.18.2014 (★★★)
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
xxxx
Mod
/end hijack
Sara wrote: "What???Well, Netanella....looks like it's just me and you on the January challenge. Unless Teresa resurfaces....Tereeeeeesa.....where are you???
Next month's challenge should be:
D
R
A
M
A"
Awwwwwwwwwwww...Sara you are too sweet lol. Its nice to know I'd be missed! Netanella knows I usually don't bail once I've made a commitment (how long did it take me to finish Kraken again?). I've just been staying away from the BOTMs because...well...because of the damn drama!!!
Anyhow, I'm used to just 'editing' the original post on my monthly and quarterly challenges, but then again, that group is huge, with about a hundred people taking part each month. So, as you can imagine, it would be bad idea to write a new post each time. But with 3 people? Yeah, definitely possible! I'll update before work tomorrow. I was thinking about this challenge on my way to work; going over in my head which books I'm done with, which books are on my 'to-read' list that would fit the letters, etc. Its funny when ya think about it...I've been *trying* to complete this all month, but haven't been updating. I'll try and update more; I'm just on that stupid ass app most of the time (am I the only one that thinks the app is incredibly user-UNfriendly????). Most of my books aren't zombie books though. Sorry, guys, I just am more a 'brancher-outer' than a genre reader (which is kinda counter-intuitive considering this is a genre group). I'm glad to see we can use Better Stay Dead for 'b,' even though I most certainly didn't finish it. I've got Frostbite by Richelle Mead for 'R' and Alice in Zombieland for 'A,' and I'll be done!!! A couple buddy reads are going on in another group with none of the letters (ARRRGGGGGG), so that's been holding me up, and just might ruin it for me, but I'm a chuggin' along!
P.S., Sara: I've been listening to the rest of the stories from "I Am Legend," and they're great! Spoookkkkyyy... I'm telling ya! On my ride home from work tonite, it was snow squalling and the roads were treacherous and I was scared and my car is a hoopty piece of crap and I had this narrator making creepy voices in my earbuds and the snow plow in front of me was shooting sparks when its blade made contact with the road and...and....and...it was scary, and wonderful all at the same time! Its weird how (once we're safe, of course), we can laugh at how scared we were mere moments before...
~Teresa~
Hey, T, I know you don't bail once you start reading. Kraken was something else! And no worries on the genre-hopping - part of the fun is making the books you're reading this month fit into the different challenges you've committed to...at least, it is for me!
Elizabeth wrote: "hijack \ I really like Craig DiLouie. If you liked that one, you might like Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines. It's a superhero/zombie deal. They had a bit of the same flavour to me./end hijack"
Thanks for the rec, Elizabeth. I've been looking for superheroes for another challenge, so this may work out perfectly!
Read the Month Zombie Edition - January Duration: January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014
Read 6/7 books
WHOO HOO! I found my "R" book! Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan - 01.18.2014 (★) DNF
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti - 01.01.2014 (★★★★)
R - Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory- in progress
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - 01.08.2014 (★★★)
I - The Infection 2 - The Killing Floor by Craig DiLouie - 01.21.2014 (★★★★★)
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery 01.04.2014 (★★★★)
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck - 01.18.2014 (★★★)
! - (wildcard - book of your choice)
FYI - I really liked Breathers: A Zombie's Lament by S.G. Browne. It's kind of like Warm Bodies except much, much darker. Highly recommend :)
Awesome - and it looks like it would fit the "romantic zombie" for the Ongoing Zombie challenge...
I love everything I've read by S.G. Browne, honestly. And as for why I'm not updating before work, well turn on the TV. I got a metric shit ton of snow to contend with now. WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE A FOOT OF SNOW?!?!?~Teresa~
Ummmmm....dunno? Maybe WV needed the snow to freeze the chemical spill and make glow in the dark freezer pops? (Bad joke, I know)BTW, you and yours okay?
Here's my radically different list than what I had planned on reading. What can I say? I mix-it-up a lot!READ: 5/7
B - Better Stay Dead by Dave Callahan 01/14/14 DNF ★
R - Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead 10/24/14 ★★★★
A - Alice in Zombieland (started today...lovin' it)
I - I Am Legend by Richard Matheson 01/10/14 ★★★★
N - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman (ongoing...a story a day keeps the doctor away!)
S - DangerRAMA by Danger Slater 01/21/14 ★★★★★
! - Grudge Punk by John McNee 01/19/13 ★★★★★
Netanella wrote: "Ummmmm....dunno? Maybe WV needed the snow to freeze the chemical spill and make glow in the dark freezer pops? (Bad joke, I know)BTW, you and yours okay?"
No! LOL...that's actually a good one! A bit on the dark side, but I never said my sense of humor was 'normal.' And yes, thanks for asking...we're all okay. I live like, 20 minutes from Pennsylvania, so I'm too far north for any of that stuff to have affected me, thank cthulu!
By the by...anyone out there that liked Sin City would LOVE Grudge Punk. Its on the twisted side, for sure, but a great and interesting read. Same for DangerRAMA. Both seriously underappreciated authors (or maybe 'relatively unknown' would be more fitting...)
~Teresa~
Read the Month Zombie Edition - January Duration: January 1, 2014 - January 31, 2014
DONE! Woo Hoo! Read 8/8 books
That was fun...
B - Better Stay Dead Arc 1 by Dave Callahan - 01.18.2014 (★) DNF
R - Rednecks Who Shoot Zombies on the Next Geraldo by Lacher and Paoletti - 01.01.2014 (★★★★)
R - Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory - 01.28.2014 (★★★★)
A - Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - 01.08.2014 (★★★)
I - The Infection 2 - The Killing Floor by Craig DiLouie - 01.21.2014 (★★★★★)
N - Necropolis Rising by Dave Jeffery 01.04.2014 (★★★★)
S - Squanto Undead by Stacy Buck - 01.18.2014 (★★★)
! - Apocalypse Mom: Diary of An Ordinary Woman in a Not So Ordinary World - 01.25.2014 (★★★)
I'm done too! Hooray!! That cleared a few off my to-read shelf; thanks for the extra motivation, zombie-loving crew!Read 7/7 books
B -
R -
A -
I -
N -
S -
! -
Congratulations, Sara! I hope you and the rest of the zombie lovers out there will join me on the 28 Zombie Shorts of February Challenge.
Good job, ladies! I'm done, too, but I need to update. Hey Sara...I noticed you not only read Breathers, but Allison Hewitt is Trapped and The New Dead too...I LOVED The New Dead and Breathers....what did you think? And what about Allison Hewitt is Trapped? I thought that one looked really good...
YAY!!! I friggin' did it!!! I know I don't read as much as you ladies (GOD...I WISH I had more time and DIDN'T have a neurological condition), but I feel super special that I finished! Maybe only 2 zombie books, but hey, such is life! BUT...I DID notice that *literally* every single book I read this year so far has at least had the word 'zombie' in it. Its strange how commonplace that word has become....And yes, I will be joining February's challenge, too! Looking forward to seeing you ladies on that thread!
READ: 7/7
B - Better Stay Dead by Dave Callahan 01/14/14 DNF ★
R - Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead 10/24/14 ★★★★
A - Alice in Zombieland 01/27/14 ★★★★
I - I Am Legend by Richard Matheson 01/10/14 ★★★★
N - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman 01/30/14 ★★★★★
S - DangerRAMA by Danger Slater 01/21/14 ★★★★★
! - Grudge Punk by John McNee 01/19/13 ★★★★★
Allison Hewitt was kind of...I don't know...meh. Not terrible, not great. I think I am too jaded for young adult selections, so take my review with a grain of salt. LOLI've got a stack of non-zombie library books that I need to get through this month, so I won't be doing the 28 day challenge. I will be participating in the BOTM, so I expect I'll see both of you there :)
Congrats to all for January's reading challenge! I'm nerdy enough that I have the 28 shorts for the February challenge ready to go - just waiting for the month to roll around. YA zombie can be hard, sometimes. Check out Rusty Fischer's YA zombie stuff...he's got a good sense of humor with his books.
Books mentioned in this topic
Reapers Rise (other topics)I Am Legend and Other Stories (other topics)
Frostbite (other topics)
Alice in Zombieland (other topics)
Grudge Punk (other topics)
More...
Post your ideas, please - cover hunt challenge, series challenge - what's your pleasure??