Readathon!

Murchie welcomes you to the April Readathon.

Hello, friends and fellow Readathoners! Welcome to my master update post. I intend to keep all general updates in this one central location, with the occasional extra post for any mini challenges I decide to participate in.

The most recent update will always appear first. Scroll down to see what I did earlier in the day.

Hour 21

Friends, I'm about to turn off my computer, tuck up in bed, and read until I pass out.

It probably won't take long.

I'm loving SLIP POINT by Karalynn Lee, but the chapters are all quite a bit longer than I was expecting. Turns out, the page count on Amazon is nowhere near the actual page count, at least according to my calculations. As good as it is, I doubt I'll finish it tonight.

Oh well. I'll read as much of as I can before sleep claims me.

I've pretty well given up on breakfast tomorrow, too. There simply won't be enough time for me to have a proper sleep and a shower before the projected 9am meetup time. I currently look like a serial killer, what with my sleep deprived puffiness and my messy hair, so I'd best hide myself away from the general public until I'm well rested and thoroughly washed.

Like I said, I'm going to the actual graduation party later next month, so I don't think my presence is strictly required tomorrow.

Anyways: I'm now for bed. It's been emotional, y'all. I'll probably check in on Twitter a time or two before I sleep, but this'll be my last blog update of the night.

Currently Reading: SLIP POINT by Karalynn Lee

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake
• FROM AFAR by Ava March
• EMBER by Bettie Sharpe
• LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT by Bettie Sharpe
• MISBEHAVING by Tiffany Reisz

Pages Read: 1190, plus about 55 minutes of an audiobook at double time

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• two cups of coffee
• three Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bars (such extravagance!)
• 1/3 of a candy apple
• one triangle of jumbo Toblerone
• two black bean quesadillas
• one bunch of green grapes
• one cherry delight yogurt
• one raspberry/cranberry yogurt
• three white cheddar rice cakes
• one chicken sandwich on cheese bread with avocado mayonnaise
• two digestive biscuits (eaten chocolate side down, of course)

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
• Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish
• Greatest Fits - The Headstones
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
• Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle
• Mid-Event Survey
• First Editions
• Shelfie
• Your Name In Titles
• That Reminds Me Of A Book!

Other Activities:

• lunch
• e-reader case construction
• basic canine maintenance
• internet-based dithering

---

Hour Nineteen

MISBEHAVING blew me away. I'm so glad I decided to read it next! Those of you who like humour and sexy times must check it out.

I mean, the phrase "fuck him/her/me/you up the butt" appears multiple times, and it's never not funny. Y'all want in on that.

This brings me to the final book on my stack: SLIP POINT by Karalynn Lee. It's SF romance and the longest novella in the pile (which is why I left it for last; I ordered today's reading by length). I'm going to try my durnedest to read it in a speedy fashion, then drop off to sleep so I can be awake in time for this family breakfast thing tomorrow. (Oh, family. Why do you insist on getting together for breakfast? Why can't you value lunch above all other meals, like everybody else's family? People "do lunch," not breakfast.)

The alternative is, of course, to sleep through the breakfast thing. It's a sort of graduation/going away get together for my cousin, but it's only him and my parents and me because they'll be away during his actual graduation/going away get together. I plan to attend that one, so I think I should be safe to take a pass on this one. We'll see how I feel when I crawl out of bed tomorrow.

Currently Reading: SLIP POINT by Karalynn Lee

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake
• FROM AFAR by Ava March
• EMBER by Bettie Sharpe
• LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT by Bettie Sharpe
• MISBEHAVING by Tiffany Reisz

Pages Read: 1047, plus about 55 minutes of an audiobook at double time

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• two cups of coffee
• two Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bars
• 1/3 of a candy apple
• one triangle of jumbo Toblerone
• two black bean quesadillas
• one bunch of green grapes
• one cherry delight yogurt
• one raspberry/cranberry yogurt
• three white cheddar rice cakes
• one chicken sandwich on cheese bread with avocado mayonnaise
• two digestive biscuits (eaten chocolate side down, of course)

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
• Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish
• Greatest Fits - The Headstones
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
• Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle
• Mid-Event Survey
• First Editions
• Shelfie
• Your Name In Titles
• That Reminds Me Of A Book!

Other Activities:

• lunch
• e-reader case construction
• basic canine maintenance
• internet-based dithering

---

Hour Sixteen

LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT became a much easier read once I returned to it. I think perhaps I was too inclined to compare it to EMBER--and let's face it, ain't nothin' else I read tonight gonna compare to EMBER.

My 8-novella TBR stack is now a 2-novella TBR stack. I think I'll read MISBEHAVING by Tiffany Reisz next, but I might decide to save her for last because I know she's extremely readable. We'll see.

Either way, it's beginning to look like I'll finish my stack after all! *knocks on wood* Whee! That'll leave me poised to reread THE VINTNER'S LUCK over the next couple of days, after which point I can return to my epic Robin Hobb reread.

I'm in Robin Hobb withdrawal, y'all. You don't even know.

In non-bookish news, I drank some coffee and spun some Bon Jovi because the Mid-Event Meme left me with "Livin' On A Prayer" stuck in my head. Life, she is good.

Currently Reading: MISBEHAVING by Tiffany Reisz

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake
• FROM AFAR by Ava March
• EMBER by Bettie Sharpe
• LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT by Bettie Sharpe

Pages Read: 841, plus about 55 minutes of an audiobook at double time

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• two cups of coffee
• two Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bars
• 1/3 of a candy apple
• one triangle of jumbo Toblerone
• two black bean quesadillas
• one bunch of green grapes
• one cherry delight yogurt
• one raspberry/cranberry yogurt
• three white cheddar rice cakes
• one chicken sandwich on cheese bread with avocado mayonnaise
• two digestive biscuits (eaten chocolate side down, of course)

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
• Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish
• Greatest Fits - The Headstones
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
• Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle
• Mid-Event Survey
• First Editions
• Shelfie
• Your Name In Titles

Other Activities:

• lunch
• e-reader case construction
• basic canine maintenance
• internet-based dithering

---

Hour Fifteen

I'm afraid I'm not enjoying LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT near as much as EMBER, so I've taken a break mid-book to, um, bum around on the internet.

Oh, like you've never done that.

I might watch ORPHAN BLACK, too, because I've gotta know what happens next with [spoiler].

Then again, I might save it until my brain works a little better.

Also? I was gonna make coffee, like, an hour ago, and I don't see no coffee anywhere around. I should get on that.

I'm also contemplating the whole having-to-get-up tomorrow thing versus the wanting-to-read-all-the-books thing.

Currently Reading: LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT by Bettie Sharpe

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake
• FROM AFAR by Ava March
• EMBER by Bettie Sharpe

Pages Read: 677, plus about 55 minutes of an audiobook at double time

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• one cup of coffee
• two Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bars
• 1/3 of a candy apple
• one triangle of jumbo Toblerone
• two black bean quesadillas
• one bunch of green grapes
• one cherry delight yogurt
• one raspberry/cranberry yogurt
• one white cheddar rice cake
• one chicken sandwich on cheese bread with avocado mayonnaise

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
• Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish
• Greatest Fits - The Headstones
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle
• Mid-Event Survey
• First Editions
• Shelfie
• Your Name In Titles

Other Activities:

• lunch
• e-reader case construction
• basic canine maintenance
• internet-based dithering

---

Hour Twelve

Friends, I had the best time away from the computer! First, I popped in my earbuds and listened to about an hour of THE SCORPIO RACES while I finished my swank new e-reader case. The book was great, of course, and I'm so, so happy to have a case that's not curling up at the edges. Duct tape is durable, but it does tend to let go of itself after two years of hard use.

I promptly broke in the new case with EMBER by Bettie Sharpe, and holy hell. If you have even the slightest interest in fairy tales retold, you must seek this one out. I'll warn you, the blurb makes it sound rapey, but fear not: this is a darker, wonderfully unique take on Cinderella with a heartfelt romance at its core. I bawled my fucking eyes out.

I should've expected great things from Bettie Sharpe--after all, I adored her CAT'S TALE a couple of Readathons ago--but I wasn't prepared for so much awesome. EMBER ranks among the best books I've read this year.

Now I'm going to have a bit of a poke around the Readathon and perhaps a proper meal before I gulp down another Bettie Sharpe; which, alas, brings me to the end of her bibliography. I sure hope she publishes more work soon.

Currently Reading: LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT by Bettie Sharpe

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake
• FROM AFAR by Ava March
• EMBER by Bettie Sharpe

Pages Read: 677, plus about 55 minutes of an audiobook at double time

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• one cup of coffee
• two Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bars
• 1/3 of a candy apple
• one triangle of jumbo Toblerone
• two black bean quesadillas
• one bunch of green grapes
• one cherry delight yogurt
• one raspberry/cranberry yogurt
• one white cheddar rice cake

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
• Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish
• Greatest Fits - The Headstones
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle

Other Activities:

• lunch
• e-reader case construction
• basic canine maintenance

---

Hour Eight

My pace has begun to flag a little, so I think I'll take a break from reading and spend a little while listening to THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater. This will give me the opportunity to finish my new e-reader case, too. My old one is pretty ratty around the edges and has become somewhat uncomfortable to hold on account of peeled tape and bent edges. Maybe I'll find it easier to read a bit more once I've got something less cumbersome in hand.

On the plus side, I'm halfway through my novella stack! The next four are all a bit longer, though, so I don't imagine I'll get through them as quickly. Still, I have two by Bettie Sharpe and one by Tiffany Reisz, so I'm almost assured of a good time.

Currently Reading: THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake
• FROM AFAR by Ava March

Pages Read: 482

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• one cup of coffee
• one Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bar
• 1/3 of a candy apple
• one triangle of jumbo Toblerone
• two black bean quesadillas
• one bunch of green grapes

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
• Over The Hills And Far Away - Nightwish

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle

Other Activities:

• lunch

---

Hour Five

I've now knocked three novellas from la TBR. Go me! Now I'm on to Novella #4: a historical vampire romance by Ava March. I usually have a blast with her books, so I'm looking forward to it.

Since my last update, I've also begun listening to some music via Hoopla, a great service my library recently subscribed to. They let you stream a limited number of movies, albums, and audiobooks per month. I've taken this opportunity to listen to some of the Led Zeppelin and Billy Talent albums I haven't been able to find in my price range, and I expect to add some Nightwish to the mix later today.

Murchie has emerged from his sleepycave, too. (The little dude doesn't believe in getting up before eleven o'clock.) He consented to sit on my lap a short while ago, and I hope he'll stick close to me for the rest of the day. If it warms up a little more, maybe I can convince him to hang around outside for a while. We'll see how it goes.

Currently Reading: FROM AFAR by Ava March

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz
• JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake

Pages Read: 305

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• one cup of coffee
• one Nature Valley dark chocolate sweet & salty granola bar
• 1/3 of a candy apple

Albums Listened To:

• Billy Talent III - Billy Talent
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin

Mini Challenges Completed:

• the Intro Meme (see entry for Hour One)
• Jigsaw Cover Puzzle

Other Activities: none yet

---

Hour Three

So far, my Readathon has been successful indeed. I've knocked two books off la TBR and won a door prize! It's been ages and ages and ages since I last won a Readathon prize, so I'm wicked excited. I can't wait to find out which of my selections I'll receive.

The books themselves were most enjoyable. I began with very short novellas so I could have that lovely sense of accomplishment, and I had a wonderful time wallowing in Tiffany Reisz's kinky world for a couple of hours. I now plan to take a small break from her to read some SF romance. Wish me luck!

Currently Reading: JAQ'S HARP by Ella Drake

Books Finished:

• IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz
• SUBMIT TO DESIRE by Tiffany Reisz

Pages Read: 189 (going by the number of screens in my e-books, which is sort of cheating but oh well)

Food Consumed:

• one bowl of butter grits
• one cup of coffee

Albums Listened To: none yet

Mini Challenges Completed: the Intro Meme (see below)

Other Activities: none yet

---

Hour One

Hey, look at this! I'm actually awake and ready to go at 7am CDT--a small miracle that allows me to delete the "dude, I'm still asleep, but I looking forward to reading with you later" post I drafted.

Anyways, I'm awake, but I didn't get nearly as much sleep as I would've liked so I'm liable to be grumpy. I shall combat this state of being with coffee, fiction, and some sort of tasty breakfast.

Currently Reading: IMMERSED IN PLEASURE by Tiffany Reisz

Books Finished: none

Pages Read: none

Food Consumed: none (I sacrificed kitchen time for update time)

Albums Listened To: none

Mini Challenges Completed: none

Other Activities: none

I'll keep track of those essential stats throughout the day. I'll also attempt to be overly cheerful to make up for my current grumpiness, and I'll fill Instagram with as many pictures of dogs, books, and food as I can possibly take without annoying the hell out of everyone.

Oh, and since the survey is already up:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Winnipeg, Manitoba.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Probably MISBEHAVING by Tiffany Reisz, though I'm also excited about EMBER by Bettie Sharpe.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? The rest of my candy apple! (I couldn't resist sampling it last night, and I might have to walk to the grocery store for another one.)

4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm less than pleased with the current angle of the sun. It falls right on my regular reading chair, so I won't be able to sit there until it's a little higher in the sky. Otherwise, the sun's liable to blind me with its intense brightness. Damn you, sun!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? Well, I have a blog again now, so I'll update here via a master post instead of just shooting the breeze on Twitter. :)