Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Bout of Books 10.0: [Day 7 & Wrap-up]

The Bout of Books is over for a few days now, and I am only typing this post now because I'm a slacker. Well, not really, just yesterday was the first day of my week-long vacation and I was busy doing things like washing all the windows (we have 3+ metre high ceilings so yes, window-washing is a project) and mopping all the floors, and watching all the ice hockey.
 
So I will make the Sunday short - I read only Cinder, and from 30% to 68% on Kindle (that is maybe like a few hundred pages). I will say right now that this book and me are not the best match and for several reasons, some of which are not the book's fault (but some are). I have multitude of thoughts on Cinder so I will publish a separate post.
 
Summer arrived on Sunday so we went to park for a while.
 
Loving my Kindle on days like this.

Our park by the bay.
 
In conclusion, here's what happened:
 
 
 Technically I finished only one book during readathon, and that was Half of a Yellow Sun (4/5). A day before Bout of Books I finished Hyperion (5/5 - speaks for itself) and a day after I finished Cinder (2.5/5). So if we nitpick I completed one book but if we don't nitpick, I completed three. I also read good 200 pages from Red Seas Under Red Skies, and that was it for me this time around. I stuck to my TBR pile, although it was a close call because I was so near starting The Goldfinch on Sunday.
 
I didn't take part in any challenges and didn't visit many new blogs (but I visited and commented my already-reading blogs almost religiously) - it was a very low-key readathon this time around. TOP distractions:
 
1. Painkiller-induced naps during first half of the week.
2. Diablo III
3. Ice hockey world championships
4. Warm weather
5. Preparing for vacation
 
Overall I am really happy with the result though. I will continue with Red Seas and Middlesex (I read one chapter last night and made a happy sigh, this book is really good).
 
I hope y'all had good readathon (I know you did!) and have a nice week!

12 comments:

  1. I'm excited to read your post on Cinder. I read it when I was in exactly the mood for exactly that kind of book, so I know that I overlooked plenty of flaws in it for that reason. But the flaws are there, and I can imagine them ruining the book for someone.

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    1. Hey Jenny, the post is coming about Cinder - in my case it might have been a bit opposite, maybe I wasn't in the best mood for this, but in any case I had some issues that hopped out constantly. However, the book definitely has a unique take to begin with, and some great ideas!

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  2. I always vote for not nitpicking :) Can't wait to hear how Middlesex turns out for you since I've been thinking about reading that one as a "modern classic" for Classics Club. I hope you get to do some relaxing on vacation in addition to all that cleaning!

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    1. I'm about half way through Middlesex and it's so good. I also have it in my classics club list, as well as TBR2014 challenge, so I'm even more happy that it's turning out to be such a good experience! And thanks - I did the "stuff that needs to be done" in the first days of holiday so now we will be going to see my mum in Estonia tomorrow and relax for the rest of the week.

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  3. Yay for sunny Sundays at the park :)
    And I am more of slacker than you, I'm not sure I will even get to a wrap up post!

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    1. The weathers have been a-mah-zing this week! I remember last year it was this endless winter with snow still in April, so this year is a proper compensation :)

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  4. What a diverse list. I would give you extra credit if you started and finished Half of a Yellow Sun. That was not a short book!

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    1. Hey Rachel! Half of a Yellow Sun didn't look like that long of a book, but mine was in really small font so it actually might have been. It felt longer because it's not exactly a fluffy story and there were some really heavy themes explored :)

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  5. I am about to start Hyperion!! I love high fantasy, and have been hearing nothing but great things. I read the Prologue and am liking the writing so far. You had a pretty great bout of books!

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    1. Oh, good luck with Hyperion - it was such a good book! I can't wait to read the sequel later in summer :)

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  6. I really want to read Half of a Yellow Sun!

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    1. I can easily recommend this book, it's great. :)

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Leave a comment if you feel like it - it warms my little bookish heart. :)