July:
Book Junkie Trials Edition!
This July I'm taking part in a month long readathon called the Book Junkie Trials. In this readathon, participants are joining one of four teams and completing quests as we search for the Bookie Grail. Of the four teams available, I am part of team Magi. The other three teams are Bard, Outlaw, and Scribe. If you would like to learn more about this readathon and possibly take part, there is a YouTube video with a ton of details right here.
On this page I'm going to list all of my books for each team's quest path since I am aiming for a full completion score. That means I want to read seventeen books in July. While editing SEALER'S GAME. Yes, I realize that it sounds like I've lost my marbles. ;)
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Oh! And our group book for this readathon is Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which I've pictured to the left. :) Anyway, good luck to anyone else who is participating. Let's have fun and read some awesome books!
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Kat
Magi:
The spellweavers of the realm are an ecclectic bunch, with powers ranging from healing, to elements, to time magic and everything in between. Some can cast a hex with a wave of their hands. Others might need a dozen ingrediants to manifest results from a written incantation. I grew up as a bard. I wound up here, at the Academy of Magi, when it was discovered that my songs could bring things into being.
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As such, this is the team I, Katallina of Azuremyst, have pledged my allegiance to. We of the Magi have the following strength and weakness:
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Strength: Mastery of time magic has granted the mages a three day head start. They may begin the readathon on June 28th, 2019
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Weakness: Magic carries the risk of making one complacent. To prevent this, Magi must read something outside of their comfort zone.
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Here are the books that I will be reading to complete the mage quests for the readathon. Full details on which quest each book is for and why I picked it can be found below.
Quest I: Into the Orc Grove
Objective: Read a book that is gory, gritty, or gruesome.
My Pick:
and other lessons from the crematory
by Caitlin Doughty
Format: Audiobook | Status: Reading
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I write books about the royal family of the Underworld and their shadowy court. While this is going to be a lot more realistic and gritty than my work, I feel it is research that will be important for it. So I get to kill (oops) two birds with one stone: reading something I've wanted to go through for 'business' and completing one of our quests.
Note: this is also my "out of comfort zone" book. I don't think I've ever read a memoir before. Should be fun. :D
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Quest II: Ol' Pirate Cove
Objective: Read a book that takes place, at least in part, at sea.
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My Pick:
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
by C.S. Lewis
Format: Kindle | Status: TBR
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A re-read of a childhood favorite. I think the last time I sat down with this or any other Narnia book was back in Uni and I was done with that in 2003 so I think enough time has passed. I'm especially excited about this as a re-read for this challenge, because this is probably my favorite book about adventures on the sea ever. A lot of interesting places get explored in this book and I look forward to returning to them.
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Quest III: The Isle of Glimmer
Objective: Read a book with a beautiful and / or colorful cover.
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My Pick:
Girls of Paper and Fire
by Natasha Ngan
Format: TBD | Status: TBR
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I love the contrasting shades of pink and purple that go through this cover and the typography chosen for the title. The little hints of flame on some of the letters stands out really well. I do find it kind of interesting that I've chosen a book which is, in part, about the exploitation of female beauty as my book with a beautiful cover. Trust me, I know it's far darker than that. I just felt there was at least a touch of irony in it.
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Quest IV: The Dragonic Isle
Objective: Read a book about or including dragons
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My Pick:
Dragon Actually
by G.A. Aiken
Format: Kindle | Status: TBR
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With some of the books I plan to read for various challenges in this readathon, I'm going to need some more light hearted and fun picks, and this will likely be one of them. A tale about Annwyl the Bloody and her dragon friend, Feargus, whom she will soon discover can turn into an equally hot (haha) man? Count me in. I can't believe I haven't read this yet. Been on my TBR for a while now.
Bards:
The Bards of the high Queendom are poets, historians, minstrels and musicians. They roam the land, sharing their knowledge of this land and its people by tale and tune. As one who grew up in the bardic tradition, I feel it is my responsibility to assist my former colleagues with their part in the Quest for the Grail.
Quest I: The Elven Guard
Objective: Read a book with war, military, or political themes.
My Pick:
The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas
Format: Audiobook | Status: TBR
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This has been on my TBR since it's release. I own the audio book. But I had a bad flare in my wrists around its launch, I stepped away from book blogging, and I didn't get much reading done at that time (I tried to make a 'come back' and my health went 'Nope'.). With that said, if my understanding of this book is up to date this deals with police brutality and #BlackLivesMatter , so I think it should count just fine as a political read. Now I just have to keep myself from reading it sooner, because I've wanted to read it for a long time now.
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Quest II: The Hallow Isle
Objective: Read an atmospheric or horror book.
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My Pick:
Misery
by Stephen King
Format: TBD | Status: TBR
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Of all the books I'm reading, this is probably the one that is most outside my normal wheelhouse. I've got no issue with horror--magical or real--or with gore or violence, but this normally wouldn't be the type of book I'd be drawn to. Saying all of that, it likely comes as little surprise that I did not choose this alone. Misery will be a buddy read / listen with my boyfriend, Jay. So this book will likely be done via audio alongside the rest of the books for the readathon. I'm a writer who is currently getting home based nurse care for a leg injury (it's an ulcer; nothing too drastic!) so he thought it would be kinda funny.
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Quest III: The Empty Bottle Inn
Objective: Pick an 'indulgent' read.
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My Pick:
Renegades
by Marissa Meyer
Format: TBD | Status: TBR
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Over the past few years, a lifelong love of superheroes has gotten a big shot in the arm thanks to a ton of great hero themed shows, and films from both the MCU and DCEU. But Superheroes are not a theme I have seen taken off with much success within books outside of comics. So when I found out about Renegades it immediately got a spot on my TBR for using a type of story I already find appealing, and then flipping it on its head the way I might have if I was writing it myself: by making the reader question whether the Renegades or Villains are those who truly have the best interests of the world at heart. Misery is Jay's pick for our July Listens; Renegades is mine. I figure this should be a good fit for us since many of our best dates are going to see the latest MCU films as they come out in theatres.
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Quest IV: The Giant Squid
Objective: Read a daunting or intimidating book.
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My Pick:
Room
by Emma Donoghue
Format: Kindle | Status: TBR
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When I first saw this challenge, my instinct was to go with something really long and classical, like The Count of Monte Crisco. But I'm a very slow reader, and this is a bonus objective. So, thinking about it a bit more, what I asked myself is: what 'intimidates' me as a reader? What kinds of tropes and issues make me go 'Oh, HELL no!' in what a story is about, rather than how long it is, how complex the language is, whether its modern or classical, etc. I can think of much that evokes a stronger reaction in me than a child in distress, and I can think of little more disturbing than the kind of situation described in the blurb for this book. I am equal parts interested in reading this, and uncertain of whether or not I will be able to finish it. More importantly, will I be "the same"? Or is the Squid going to get in a few squeezes with those creepy tentacles?
Outlaws:
Some might, mistakenly, refer to the less legal-minded citizens of the Queendom as the 'riff-raff' of the realm. But I can't say I agree. We all do what we must to survive. And on a more practical note: why use a three hundred year old incantation, which requires six reagents, to open a door when a simple lock pick will do? It's helped me when I've misplaced the key to my dorm. A time or two. Maybe.
Quest I: Crimson Peaks
Objective: Re-read a favorite book.
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My Pick:
Night Play
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Format: Kindle | Status: TBR
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I can still remember where and when I was the first time I read this novel. It was a sweltering August afternoon and I was sitting in a lounger under the shade of a patio table umbrella. Book in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other, I dove head first into Sherrilyn's world again, eager to find out what was happening to characters I had grown to love and curious to see what challenges would face our main couple this go around. In my opinion, Night Play is one of the best books in the Dark Hunter / Were-Hunter series. It's been a long time since I last read it, though. I think we should see whether time has been kind to it, so I've put it here.
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Quest II: The Queenstone
Objective: Read a book that involves royalty.
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My Pick:
Red, White & Royal Blue
by Casey McQuiston
Format: TBD | Status: TBR
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A lot of the books I've picked for my TBR are either fantasy inspired or incredibly intense. While I'm sure there will be some emotional substance to this, I'm also hoping that there will be a fun and fluffy romance at its core to give me a breather from some of the other books that I've chosen to deal with prompts. This is one of those books where I read the blurb and immediately went "OMG I totally need to read that!", so here it is.
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Quest III: The Forgotten Forest
Objective: Read the next book in a series.
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My Pick:
Hidden
by PC and Kristin Cast
Format: Kindle | Status: TBR
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P.C. and Kristin Cast's House of Night series has a special place in my heart. If Final Fantasy IV was what made me want to write stories, and my oral narrative course in university taught me how to form the core of a story, then the House of Night books get the credit as being the thing that helped turn the light on and empower me to be able to carry a full length boo from beginning, to middle, to end. Sadly, I burnt out very hard when I was book blogging back in 2014 and I was having a lot of chronic pain from osteoarthritis in my hands. I was afraid that my burn out would effect my enjoyment of this series, so I put it on hold. Now that I'm actively reading again, though, there's no way I could do a TBR without one of these being here. I have some serious catching up to do!
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Quest IV: The Weeping Falls
Objective: Read a tearjerker.
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My Pick:
A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
Format: TBD | Status: TBR
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When my grandmother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma I gravitated to every book under the sun that dealt with the struggle of having cancer, the struggle of a loved one cancer, and (most frighteningly, to someone with a loved one facing a non-curable type of cancer) every book about losing a loved one to cancer. Yet despite its place on my list, I never did end up picking this book up. I can't quite recall h
Scribes:
Some might, mistakenly, refer to the less legal-minded citizens of the Queendom as the 'riff-raff' of the realm. But I can't say I agree. We all do what we must to survive. And on a more practical note: why use a three hundred year old incantation, which requires three reagents, to open a door when a simple lock pick will do? It's helped me when I've misplaced the key to my dorm. A time or two. Maybe.
Quest I: Dwarf Mount
Objective: Read a book with a hint of romance.
My Pick:
The Kiss Quotient
by Helen Hoang
Format: Audiobook Status: TBR
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With the hot summer sun beating down on us as we read this month, I wanted my romantic read for this challenge to be something fun that I would be able to zip through with ease. I've had The Kiss Quotient on my TBR for a few months now, and in honor of Canada Day, Audible is having a sale where I was able to get this in Audiobook form for $8. I couldn't pass up a deal like that, especially when I'm counting on audio books to make reaching quest champion more manageable and buying my reads (mostly) as I go.
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Quest II: Apothecary Tower
Objective: Read a Random Book from your TBR.
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My Pick:
Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell
Format: Kindle Status: TBR
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Anyone who knows me well knows that around Halloween it is my annual tradition to watch the animated version of this book. But I've never read the actual novel. This quest provides the perfect opportunity to change that, and I plan to go for it. It will be fun finding out whether I like the animation or the book more.
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Quest III: The Great Library
Objective: Read something that's been on your TBR forever.
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My Pick:
Keturah and Lord Death
by Marine Leavitt
Format: Kindle Status: TBR
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I love the contrasting shades of pink and purple that go through this cover and the typography chosen for the title. The little hints of flame on some of the letters stands out really well. I do find it kind of interesting that I've chosen a book which is, in part, about the exploitation of female beauty as my book with a beautiful cover. Trust me, I know it's far darker than that. I just felt there was at least a touch of irony in it.
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Quest IV: The Drowning Deep
Objective: Read a book with mesmerizing world building.
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My Pick:
Scythe
by Neal Shusterman
Format: Audiobook Status: TBR
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When I first saw this challenge, my instinct was to go with something really long and classical, like The Count of Monte Crisco. But I'm a very slow reader, and this is a bonus objective. So, thinking about it a bit more, what I asked myself is, what 'intimidates' me as a reader? What kinds of tropes and issues make me go 'Oh,HELL no!' in a story sense, rather than a literary one. I can think of none stronger than a child in distress, and I can think of little more disturbing than the kind of situation described in the blurb for this book. Prose styling and length are far from the only ways to challenge oneself as a reader.
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