Saturday, October 18, 2014

Readathon!: October 2014 Edition

A short haired grey poodle lies tucked beneath a red comforter so only his front legs and his head are poking out. His eyes are closed.

Murchie welcomes you to Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon!

I'll be updating this central post throughout the day, with the most recent update on top. Mini challenges will appear in their own posts where applicable.

Hour Twenty-One

I've barely read for the last hour and I made extremely poor choices as I tried to get tomorrow's (er, later today's) edition of Murchie Plus Books read, so I'm out.

It's been emotional, y'all.

Um. Yeah. I'm really tired, and I can't do words so good, so lemme just say it's been fun reading alongside everyone. Also! My mini challenge is still ongoing (it's the top post on my blog's main page), and I'll coo over all new entries and pick a winner once I wake up.

Like, after I've showered and cuddled Murchie all that. Not right after I wake up.

Damn, y'all. I need to sleep.

I'll now tuck myself up in bed and see if I can squeeze in one more issue of DEADPOOL. (Not DEADPOOP, fingers. Although I think he might approve of that...) Right now, it doesn't seem likely.

Just pretend I filled out my personal meme one final time, okay? It ain't much different from the one below anyways, except I ate two breakfast-sized chicken sausages and read like forty more pages.


Hour Nineteen

My second wind is still going strong, though I've developed a small amount of pain thanks to my evilest of body parts. Ugh. My left knee is giving me grief, too, so I've relocated to a recliner that lets met keep it stretched out. It still isn't comfortable, but it's better than it was in the bucket chair I've been using all day.

On a more upbeat note, I finished SUBVERSION and it was wonderful! I loved the majority of the stories and really liked the rest; a solid win.

Really, most of my Readathon picks have been great. That one volume of DEADPOOL was less than stellar, but its sequel was frickin' awesome and all the prose books have been fabulous. I'm happy.

Now I'm contemplating sausages, should I feel inclined to stand at the stove for a wee bit. I thawed two earlier and really ought to cook them this evening so they don't go off. If I go ahead with that, I'll listen to my audiobook (PTOLEMY'S GATE by Jonathan Stroud) while I fry 'em up. If not, I'll just throw myself into the next volume of DEADPOOL. It contains fourteen issues, so it should keep me occupied for a good, long while.

Currently Reading: (probably) DEADPOOL: DEAD by Daniel Way and Jeff Youngquist

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz
  • A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles, plus the companion story "Interlude With Tattoos"
  • DEADPOOL: INSTITUTIONALIZED by Daniel Way and Carlo Barberi
  • EVIL DEADPOOL by Daniel Way and Salva Espin
  • SUBVERSION: SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY TALES OF CHALLENGING THE NORM, ed. by Bart R. Leib

Pages Read: 940

Food Consumed:

  • eleventy billion glasses of water (I'm not even trying to keep track anymore)
  • three cups of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • three small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn, plus a few pieces more here and there
  • two and a half slices of pepperoni pizza
  • two pieces of garlic bread

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III - Billy Talent (x2)
  • WITHIN A MILE OF HOME - Flogging Molly
  • THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE - Season One, Volume Two
  • LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS - Original Soundtrack
  • a couple of hours' worth of radio (which isn't an album, but I'm okay with that)

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles
  • four-leaf clover wrangling
  • supper


Hour Seventeen

I drank some coffee, read some awesome comics, and acquired something resembling a second wind. Hurray!

My e-reader estimates it'll take me about an hour to read the last five stories in SUBVERSION, so I'm going to back away from the comics until I've finished it. It'd be mighty nice to get another book off la TBR before the Readathon is through. After that, I can either focus on comics for the next few hours or poke another short story collection. I've got a few of them saved, plus a large virtual pile of magazines. I love fiction magazines, but I have a bitch of a time staying up to date with them. Sigh.

Currently Reading:

  • SUBVERSION: SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY TALES OF CHALLENGING THE NORM, ed. by Bart R. Leib

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz
  • A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles, plus the companion story "Interlude With Tattoos"
  • DEADPOOL: INSTITUTIONALIZED by Daniel Way and Carlo Barberi
  • EVIL DEADPOOL by Daniel Way and Salva Espin

Pages Read: 940

Food Consumed:

  • eleventy billion glasses of water (I'm not even trying to keep track anymore)
  • three cups of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • three small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn
  • two and a half slices of pepperoni pizza
  • two pieces of garlic bread

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III - Billy Talent (x2)
  • WITHIN A MILE OF HOME - Flogging Molly
  • THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE - Season One, Volume Two
  • LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS - Original Soundtrack
  • a couple of hours' worth of radio (which isn't an album, but I'm okay with that)

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles
  • four-leaf clover wrangling
  • supper


Hour Fifteen

Friends, I'm mighty tired. If I weren't hosting a mini challenge in Hour 20, I'd tuck up in bed and give myself permission to fall asleep any time.

Since that ain't possible, I shall drink coffee and blink a lot.

I delved into comics during my last reading session! Got through a not-as-good-as-usual volume of DEADPOOL alongside three more stories from SUBVERSION. I'll aim to do the same between Hour Fifteen and Hour Seventeen, minus the not-as-good-as-usual part.

My Kobo says it should take me about two more hours to finish SUBVERSION, so I'm confident I can knock it off la TBR before the Readathon ends. Good times. Once I've finished it, I'll decide whether I want to start some more prose fiction tonight or simply focus on comics throughout the wee hours.

Currently Reading:

  • SUBVERSION: SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY TALES OF CHALLENGING THE NORM, ed. by Bart R. Leib
  • EVIL DEADPOOL by Daniel Way and John McCrea

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz
  • A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles, plus the companion story "Interlude With Tattoos"
  • DEADPOOL: INSTITUTIONALIZED by Daniel Way and Carlo Barberi

Pages Read: 715

Food Consumed:

  • eleventy billion glasses of water (I'm not even trying to keep track anymore)
  • three cups of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • three small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn
  • two and a half slices of pepperoni pizza
  • two pieces of garlic bread

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III - Billy Talent (x2)
  • WITHIN A MILE OF HOME - Flogging Molly
  • THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE - Season One, Volume Two
  • LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS - Original Soundtrack

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles
  • four-leaf clover wrangling
  • supper


Hour Thirteen

We've officially passed the halfway mark, and I. Am. Tired.

Maybe "tired" is the wrong word. "Loopy" might fit better. I'm in that weird, euphoric readerly state where I think in a stereotypical California surfer voice. Y'know what I mean, dude?

This always happens to me around Hour 13. Give it a little longer and I'll start thinking in ALL CAPS.

I'll probably start tweet in ALL CAPS, too. It's how I roll.

Anyways: I read three stories from SUBVERSION before I took a supper break, and I'm now even more convinced I must find and read everything Kelly Jennings has published. Her fiction is brutal in the best possible way.

I also squeezed in an issue of DEADPOOL, at long last.

Currently Reading:

  • SUBVERSION: SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY TALES OF CHALLENGING THE NORM, ed. by Bart R. Leib
  • DEADPOOL: INSTITUTIONALIZED by Daniel Way and Carlo Barberi

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz
  • A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles, plus the companion story "Interlude With Tattoos"

Pages Read: 542

Food Consumed:

  • eleventy billion glasses of water (I'm not even trying to keep track anymore)
  • two cups of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • three small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn
  • two and a half slices of pepperoni pizza
  • two pieces of garlic bread

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III - Billy Talent (x2)
  • WITHIN A MILE OF HOME - Flogging Molly
  • THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE - Season One, Volume Two

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles
  • four-leaf clover wrangling
  • supper


Hour Eleven

I finished A CASE OF POSSESSION as planned, even though I got something of late start with my last session. I decided to participate in the Show It Off! mini challenge in a big way, so I pulled all my favourite books off my shelves and dug the four-leaf clovers out of them.

This took a while, partly because I was trying not to crumble any of the clovers to dust and partly because one of them has gone missing. GASP! I was certain I had one tucked into THE VIRTU by Sarah Monette (which is one of my favouritest of favourite books), but all I found was a large, red leaf.

It's a very nice red leaf, but still.

Now I'm not sure if I somehow skipped THE VIRTU when I was stuffing my faves with clovers or if I tucked it between two different pages because I didn't want to displace the leaf. Maybe it'll pop out at me the next time I reread the book.

And as if that wasn't enough clover drama, I plunked the one I store in CORAMBIS down somewhere and couldn't find it. I figured I was screwed, seeing as how it was a tiny, dry plant, but it soon turned up on top of THE FALL OF THE KINGS. I'd missed seeing it because it blended in with the horned dude's foliage.

So that was all right.

Oh! And A CASE OF POSSESSION was fabulous. I can't wait for the next book in A Charm of Magpies.

Since it won't be out for several months, I shall content myself with a few stories from SUBVERSION, interspersed with comics. Maybe I'll read DEADPOOL. Maybe I'll read INHUMANS. I'll see what I feel like after the first story.

Currently Reading: SUBVERSION: SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY TALES OF CHALLENGING THE NORM, ed. by Bart R. Leib

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz
  • A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles, plus the companion story "Interlude With Tattoos"

Pages Read: 423

Food Consumed:

  • fourteen glasses of water (I think; I've officially lost track)
  • two cups of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • three small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III - Billy Talent (x2)
  • WITHIN A MILE OF HOME - Flogging Molly

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles
  • four-leaf clover wrangling


Hour Nine

A CASE OF POSSESSION is wonderful! It's proven a fairly quick read, too; I'm already a little more than 60% through it. If this keeps up, I'll polish it off by my next update. Whee!

After this, I'll probably alternate between stories from SUBVERSION: SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY TALES OF CHALLENGING THE NORM and issues of either DEADPOOL or INHUMANS. I'll see which I'm in the mood for when the time comes.

Currently Reading: A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz

Pages Read: 375

Food Consumed:

  • twelve glasses of water (I think; I drink a lot, so it's easy to lose track)
  • two cups of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • three small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III (x2)

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles


Hour Seven

I finished THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT! It was wonderful. I cried.

I followed it up with "Interlude With Tattoos," a KJ Charles story that falls between THE MAGPIE LORD and A CASE OF POSSESSION. Now I'm primed and ready to start the latter! It'll be my first read through Scribd.

Speaking of Scribd, are y'all aware you can get a three-month free trial with the promo code ScribdLovesHarlequin? I took the plunge last week and was delighted to discover Scribd has tons of books from my mental TBR, many of which aren't available through my public library. I'm excited to fit more books by Harper Fox, Jo Graham, Christi Barth, Elizabeth Wein, Kate Elliott, and an assortment of Strange Chemistry authors into my reading list over the next three months.

Currently Reading: A CASE OF POSSESSION by KJ Charles

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-V of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz

Pages Read: 291

Food Consumed:

  • eight glasses of water
  • one cup of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • two small bowls of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice
  • one small bowl of puppy chow popcorn

Albums Listened To:

  • BILLY TALENT III

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles


Hour Five

I made great progress through THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT during my last session! Three parts down, two to go. It's great stuff.

I also made sure Murchie was well fed and more than well cuddled. He also consented to stand beside my e-reader for a Murchie Plus Books picture, though he could've been a bit more gracious about it. He's such a changeable fellow.

Another good development: I heard back from Kobo, and they've forwarded my claim to the refunds department! I've tweeted about this a lot over the last few days, but if you don't follow me on there here's the basic situation: I tried to buy a couple of sale books on Wednesday, but the website crapped out and cancelled the transaction after Kobo had already processed my payment through PayPal. I'd paid just under $4 for two books I hadn't received. (The rest would've been covered by the money I'd preloaded to my account. Kobo's system had no trouble cancelling that part of the transaction.) It's been a huge hassle getting them to a) respond to me and b) acknowledge they did receive the money via PayPal, but I'm now somewhat hopeful I'll be able to buy my books before the sale ends and I lose the chance to get 'em for cheap.

And from now on, I'll only be purchasing Kobo books with account credit. (I usually load $15 at a time and draw on that whenever I want to buy something. Since 90% of the books I buy are on sale, $15 lasts me a while.) It's too stressful when something goes wrong through PayPal.

Currently Reading: Part IV of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham
  • Parts I-III of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz

Pages Read: 203

Food Consumed:

  • five glasses of water
  • one cup of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits
  • one small bowl of black pepper & lime potato chips
  • one glass of mango juice

Albums Listened To: none, though it's finally late enough that I think I can spin some Billy Talent during my next reading session.

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions
  • routine dog maintenance, with bonus cuddles


Hour Three

It took me about half an hour to hit my stride during Hour One, but I eventually got my head in the game and finished STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham. It was fabulous, though I'm not sure if I can pinpoint why I loved it so much. I'll have to see if I can produce a review somewhere down the line.

I also ate and drank things during Hour One and in the first half of Hour Two. Fuel is important during the Readathon, you know. My fuel didn't completely wake me up, but I'm somewhat more coherent now than I was two hours ago, so that's good.

Next, I think I'll read at least the first part of THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz, which I've been saving for the Readathon. Should be fun! I may eat some chips, too. It's never too early for chips.

Currently Reading: THE LAST GOOD KNIGHT by Tiffany Reisz

Books Finished:

  • STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham

Pages Read: 85

Food Consumed:

  • three glasses of water
  • one cup of coffee flavoured with Irish Cream whitener
  • one bowl of cheese grits

Albums Listened To: none. It's still early here and I don't want to wake everyone else up.

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities:

  • breakfast
  • ablutions


Hour One

The above picture is an accurate representation of the little dude in Hour One, and I'm sure we'll see many repeat performances throughout the day. Murchie's a sleeper, through and through.

I'm normally right there with him, but not today! Today I'm up and ready and fully prepared to read my arse off for the next twenty-four hours!

Or until I pass out. Whichever.

I plan to begin the day with the last 60 pages (plus extras) of STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham. In an ideal world, I'd have finished it last night and been free to start something brand new today, but I figured it was more important to get a bit more sleep than to finish a book. At least it should prove a fairly low-key way to start the Readathon, since I already know I love it and I'll be able to knock it off la TBR by my Hour Three update (unless something goes horribly, horribly wrong. Why did I type that? Whyyyyyy?).

As per usual, I'll be updating this master post every two hours or so with the following stats:

Currently Reading: STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham

Books Finished: none

Pages Read: none

Food Consumed: none, but I'm gonna get myself a cup of Irish Cream coffee and some grits soon as I finish scheduling this.

Albums Listened To: none. It's 7am here and I don't want to wake everyone else up.

Mini Challenges Completed:

Other Activities: none, unless you count waking up and swearing at the ceiling. Which we maybe shouldn't.

My Hour One stats are always so vibrant and interesting.

7 comments:

  1. Oh that is the cutest thing! And you are on your third read already. Good Job! #TeamKing

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  2. That's a lot of H2O. You drink H2O like I drink Mt Dew. :) Hope you are having a fantastic time!

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  3. Murchie is the cutest little dog I have ever seen. I would never get anything done, I'd just be cuddling! I'm glad you're having a great readathon so far!

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  4. What a productive read-a-thon! Isn't it awesomely fun to have a whole day to devote to reading (and snacking) without feeling guilty? Enjoy the rest of your read-a-thon!

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  5. !!! I was going to go to bed early, but now that I know you're hosting a challenge I shall stay up! Yay!

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  6. Enjoy your bed. I was going to go to bed early but, something woke me up after 30 minutes. I'm on my second wind. I hope you had a good day reading.

    ReplyDelete