Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: wrap-up

So this week has come to an end and we're saying goodbye too each other after reading side by side for this whole week. I've come across many new blogs and Instagram pages to follow and I really enjoyed doing the daily challenges too. It was a nice added bonus to keep the week more interactive and interesting.

I haven't read as much as I wanted to read this week, but I'm not totally disappointed. I think that, taking in count that I had to work from Monday until Friday, I have read as much as I was able to. 

The books I have read this week are:

• Vanish by Sophie Jordan (Firelight #2)

• The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan (Creepy Hollow #3)

• Hidden by Sophie Jordan (Firelight #3) - 78 of 256 pages

Besides reading those books I have also participated in all challenges but one this week. The only sad thing is that I wasn't able to join any Twitter chat due to the time difference. 

If you're reading this and you'd also like some more bookish friends you can add me on Instagram @the_secrets_in_books.

Maybe we can make a little group chat of fantasy YA book lovers on KIK and talk about books and stuff there? You can always DM me on Instagram so please do, I'd love to meet new people!

Much love,

Ellen

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 7

So the final day of this read-a-thon has come... *Dramatic music*
Sadly I'll be having exams during the Bout of Books 14. Or at least I think so. If not, I'll have to prepare for exams. So I may not join next time. I'll try my best though!

Today's challenge, hoster by Sarah Reads Too Much, is one I really want to do. I get the chance to recommend my favorite books and have them compiled into a list together with everyone else who recommended books. So that's pretty damn awesome.

My recommendations are:

The Faerie Guardian
by Rachel Morgan
Creepy Hollow #1

Firelight
by Sophie Jordan
Firelight #1

The Summoning
by Kelley Armstrong
Darkest Powers #1

Books I've read:

• Vanish by Sophie Jordan
• The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan

Currently reading:

• Hidden by Sophie Jordan (78 of 256)

Pages read today: 78

Pages read in total: 549

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 6

Today was better than yesterday, phew!
I read The Faerie War, it's still taking me a while to get through this book. The main reason is probably my work.
I didn't do today's challenge because I think it's too much like the challenge of day 1.

Books I've read:

• Vanish by Sophie Jordan
• The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan

Currently reading:

• Hidden by Sophie Jordan (Starting tomorrow or later tonight)

Pages read today: 134

Pages read in total: 471

Much love,

Ellen

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 5

Today I only had to work until lunch and then I went to this second hand store and they had some books so I ended up buying four books between the price of 1,20€ and 2,50€ so I really couldn't pass them.

Here's today's challenge hosted by Blue Books and Butterflies and it's the Character Soulmates challenge.

My two ships are actually two book couples doing a partner switch. This could be interesting.

• Ship #1: Rose (Vampire Academy) and Ryn (Creepy Hollow)
• Shipname #Ryse
• Ship #2: Violet (Creepy Hollow) and Dimitri (Vampire Academy)
• Shipname #Violitri

I chose these ships because all four of them are really similar, but still different, characters. They're all kick-ass and they protect others from prossible threats. I love both couples and I'd love my new ships almost as much. To be honest I think the four of them together would make an awesome team fighting fae trying to hurt anyone and the Strigoi trying to hurt Moroi.

Books I've read:

• Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Currently reading:

• The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan (200 of 334)

Pages read today: 0 - yes I know, just come and hit me!

Pages read in total: 337

I'm so excited to read as much as I can this weekend! I hope to finish The Faerie War, which I will, and to start and finish Hidden by Sophie Jordan before the end of this read-a-thon.

Much love,

Ellen

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 4

I'm getting used to this working thing, Though that means I'm only able to read in the evening.

This weekend I'm going hard on reading because I'm disappointed that this read-a-thon I seem to be reading even less than last week.

Today's challenge is hosted by Kimbery Faye Reads. We're doing a Four Seasons in Book Covers challenge!

Here's what I came up with:

Spring, summer, autumn, winter. :)

Books I've read:

• Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Currently reading:

• The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan (200 of 334)

Pages read today: 74

Pages read in total: 337

Much love,

Ellen

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 3

Today's challenge is great! A book inspired MASH. Totally bringing back childhood memories. 90s kids will know ;)

So here's my MASH and my result is:

So, I'll live in a mansion with Ryn (from the Creepy Hollow series). We'll live in District 6 (The Hunger Games) with our 3 kids and our owl. For a living I'll be a mine worker (working for District 12 maybe?) and I'll get everywhere I need to be by using my portal magic (also Creepy Hollow).

Not too bad. Weird because I live in a mansion but am a mine worker who's from District 6 (Transportation district).
Thanks Rocky Top Real Talk for this awesome challenge!

Again I wish I could've read more today, but work was busy so I didn't even have time to read during lunch. Not only that, but for the rest of this week (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) I'll have to work one hour extra, not even being paid, because I have a ride there who starts an hour early, but she stops at lunch for the rest of this week so my ride home for three days will go home at the normal time, so an hour later than I can stop. Boo for unpaid hours as a student worker. 

I'm excited for next month when I'll start my language an literature course in college!

Books I've read:

• Vanish by Spohie Jordan

Reading now:

• The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan (127 of 334)

Pages read today: 40

Pages read in total: 263

Much love and I'll see you tomorrow!

Ellen

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 2

Day 2 and sadly I didn't have as much time to read as I would've liked. I've been at work from 7am till 3.15pm so I lost so much reading time. This will probably be what this week will look like for me. Leaving before 6.30am and getting home around 4pm.

This stuff always happens during a read-a-thon. And in the evening a migraine struck me so I'm going to go to bed early and I can't read because that'd make it worse probably.

I spent as much time possible reading The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan for this read-a-thon as well as this month's #ReadWithBen. This series is so exiting, I haven't even finished this book, which is the third in the Creepy Hollow series, and I already can't wait to start the fourth one. The fifth book is coming out in October and it's still so far away!

Today's challenge is a scavenger hunt hosted by The Book Monsters (http://thebookmonsters.com/bout-of-books-challenge-scavenger-hunt/)

A book that begins with B:

A book I'm planning to read/currently reading for Bout of Books: 

Blue books:

Books from your favorite genre:

A book on my TBR shelf:

(Hidden is the English title)

Day 2 update:

Progress of The Faerie War: 87 of 334 pages.

Pages read today: 87

Pages read in total: 223

Books finished: 1

Much love,

Ellen

Bout of Books read-a-thon 14: Day 1 + TBR

So like I've said in a previous post, I'm joining this Bout of Books read-a-thon.
I'm not going to set big goals for myself this week because I'll be starting work on Tuesday. I'll only have time to read after work and I'll try to take my ereader to read during lunch or when I don't have a lot to do.

The books I want to read this week are:
- The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan (Creepy Hollow #3)
- Hidden by Sophie Jordan (Firelight #3)
- The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder #1)

If I manage to finish these 3 books this week I'll be a happy person.

Day 1:

Challenge:

Fictional world travel by Between Library Shelves.

I live in Belgium, so I can't use a book with a location in Belgium. I guess that's pretty easy to do.

1. 1984 by George Orwell - dystopian London in 1984, which is now past but when this book was written is was a look into the future. (Book written in 1948)
2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - modern day Amsterdam.
3. Heliopolis by James Scudamore - contemporary São Paulo, Brazil.
4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - alternate New York.
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth - dystopian Chicago.
6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - fictional dystopian place called Panem.

What I have read today:

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Progress: FINISHED

Pages read today: 136

Pages read in total: 136

Books read: 1

You can still sign up for this read-a-thon here! Signing up is possible until Wednesday midnight (CST)!

Much love,

Ellen

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon sign-up post

That's right, it's almost that time again! Time to get our read on with Bout of Books! 

I will be participating for the first time. 

You can sign up on the Bout of Books blog! You won't regret it.

For those that don't know what Bout of Books is... here you go:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Join the fun!

Much love,

Ellen