Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2016 Goals

If you wish to participate, you can sign up HERE.

These are the books I still have to read. I won't be getting as many in 2016 because I really do want to make in-roads on my prior years lists. My goal is the Silver tier (25 books).

Don't forget you can check out all my Netgalley reviews here.

Status of lists

Year	Total Requests	Completed	Still to read
2013	51	13	38
2014	57	5	52
2015	39	4	35

TBR 2013
A Shimmer of Angels - Lisa M. Basso
Broken Forest - Eliza Tilton
Compliance - Maureen McGowan
Defy
Dragonwitch - Ann Elisabeth Stengl
Dream Girl
Echo Prophecy
Elfin
Endless
Escaping Reality
External Forces
Forbidden to Love - D.A. Wills
Hereafter
Hero's Lot, The - Patrick W. Carr
King Hall
Mage Fire - C. Aubrey Hall
Mistress of the Solstice
Night Creatures
Rebels Divided
Rival
Safe in His Arms
Scrap - Emory Sharplin
Sekret
Shadow Allegiance
She Is Not Invisible
Spirit - Brigid Kemmerer
Stargazing from Nowhere
The Bane - Keary Taylor
The Dominant - Tara Sue Me
The Naturals
The Silver Chain
The Trials of the Core
The Waking Dreamer
Tin Star
Turned
Unspoken
Will in Scarlet - Matthew Cody
Winds of Purgatory

TBR 2014
A Curse Unbroken
Alex + Ada volume 1
A Secret Colton Baby
Black Rook
Blind Faith
Blood Assassin
Blood Orange Soda
Catch Me When I Fall
Clipped Wings
Dark Hope
Darkness
Dark Wolf Returning
Danny Dirks
Delucca's Marriage Contract
Desired
Divided
Don't Judge a Lizard by His Scales
Dragon Defender
Fire Heart
Forbidden
Freed
Iskida of the Land of Nurak
Jhanmar World Travellers
Lingering Echoes
Longing
Love's Paradox
One is Enough
On Her Watch
Outshine
Raytara - Judgement of the Stars
Seed
Shadow Heart
Since You've Been Gone
Star Trek: Khan
Stitching Snow
Stones of Power
Street Fighter Origins: Akuma
Tales from OZ
Tamed
The Amulet of Sleep
The Boy a Thousand Years Wide
The Circle
The Fifth Vertex
The Mark of the Dragonfly
The One
Sentinels
The Thirteenth Tower
Thirty Days to Win His Wife
Transformers Primacy
Waking up Pregnant
We are the Goldens
Worth the Fall
Wrecked

TBR 2015
Arivaca
Bound by Sin
Bound in Darkness
Commanded
Eden Vol 1
Emissary
Everywhere It's You
Imperfect Love
In Ark
In Search of Lost Dragons
King of the World
Monster Squad: The Iron Golem
Of Flame and Promise
On the Hunt
Rocco's Wings
Seeker Arwen (Elys Dayton)
Sentinels
Sneak Peek Soundless
Sneak Peek: Dove Arising
Sorcerer to the Crown
Tamed
The Battle for Darracia
The Golden Wizard
The Phantom of the Earth
The World of Evendaar Book Two
This Is Where It Ends
Witches Be Burned
Zack

Kishaz Reading Corner: Alienated by Melissa Landers

About the Book

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L'eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she'll have inside information about the mysterious L'eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara's blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn't sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L'eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn't seem more alien. She's certain about one thing though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn't just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life-not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Buy the Book

AMAZON

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 5 stars

Here's why:

Disclaimer: I got this book from the public library and have received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

I think a miracle has occurred. I'm giving out another 5-star rating. Good sci-fi is hard to find and when it comes in the YA market, it's even more remarkable.

Aelyx and Cara are in my top five couples on my reading list this year. Cara's spunky, fire and passion are everything you want to see in a lead. Aelyx, are visiting alien, was a perfect foil to Cara.

Fireworks are the least of the couple's problems when you have xenophobia, hatred and lies thrown into the mix. This is the first in a series and I've already snagged the short story (currently free on Amazon. You can grab it here) and will be heading to my local library for the sequel.


Would I recommend this? Yes and I would also recommend this one for guys, too.

Kishaz Reading Corner: A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear

About the Book

A Companion to Wolves is the story of a young nobleman, Isolfr, who is chosen to become a wolfcarl -- a warrior who is bonded to a fighting wolf. Isolfr is deeply drawn to the wolves, and though as his father's heir he can refuse the call, he chooses to go.

The people of this wintry land depend on the wolfcarls to protect them from the threat of trolls and wyverns, though the supernatural creatures have not come in force for many years. Men are growing too confident. The wolfhealls are small, and the lords give them less respect than in former years. But the winter of Isolfr's bonding, the trolls come down from the north in far greater numbers than before, and the holding's complaisance gives way to terror in the dark.

Isolfr, now bonded to a queen wolf, Viradechtis, must learn where his honor lies, and discover the lengths to which he will to go when it, and love for his wolf, drive him.

Buy the Book

AMAZON

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 4.5 stars

Here's why:

Disclaimer: I got this book from the public library and have received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

I want to first say that this book was nothing like what I thought it was going to be and then turned out to be more in some areas.

I know, I'm talking in circles but this book threw me for loops at every turn. I do want to say up front that if you are against m/m pairings or anything related to m/m romantic elements, you might not like this book.

With that being said, the writing by both authors was a work of art. Once I started reading, I very reluctantly put it down (and that's only because I need to sleep) but quickly resumed reading the next day.

Watching Isolfr grow up and navigate his new life as well as the adventure/battle aspect of the plot was worthwhile. I can't really say more because I'm afraid of giving out spoilers.

I will be reading the next book in this series because I'm interested in the world that these two authors have created.


Would I recommend this? Only for those not squeamish about certain topics.

Kishaz Reading Corner: Touched by Corrine Jackson

About the Book

Time may not heal all wounds--but she can.

You'd think being able to heal people with a touch would be a blessing. But to 17-year-old Remy O'Malley, it's more like a curse.

Every injury Remy heals becomes her own. She lives in fear of the day she's forced to mend a wound from which she can't recover--and she's desperate to keep her amazing ability a secret.

Enter Asher Blackwell, a scarred eighteen-year-old with dangerous powers of his own. Asher seems to know more about Remy's abilities than she does--and maybe more than he's letting on. If she opens up to him, she might find out what it truly means to be a Healer. But she'll also expose herself to capture by an old and very determined enemy. And if they catch her, they won't just injure her.

They'll kill her.

Buy the Book

AMAZON

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 5 stars

Here's why:

Disclaimer: I got this book from the public library/Overdrive and have received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

I'm very stingy when it comes to giving a 5-star rating. I have to feel that a book was exceptional and that it would be something that I'd by and keep and re-reading every year.

Touched by Ms. Jackson is such a book. From the concept, to the plot, to the characters and everything in between, this book had it all.

The characters were truly believable and I found myself laughing at the humor, crying at their hurts, raging when things went wrong and shouting encouragement when they were down. Yep, I was completely and utterly invested in this book.

Remy and Asher are a dynamic duo whose journey I want to experience again and again and see where it goes.


Would I recommend this? Yes and I plan on reading the next book in the series.

#NaNoWriMo2015 - Week #4 Final Update

My NaNoWriMo 2015 has drawn to a close.

This year was definitely different from last year where I felt out of sorts and scatterbrained the whole month I tried to write. I feel that this year was better; much better.

I had to bust a move this last week and trust me, it wasn't easy. That's alright, I chose to prevail and prevail I did. Tenacity is such a great thing to have in reserve when you need it.

I've said it every week but I will say it again. My greatest thanks goes to my best friend, Angela Markham. I think we motivated and pushed each other and benefited from it.

Thanks to Lyn Ehley, my favorite editor, and also Allan Baker (another of my editors) who were game enough to work on editing Jewels 2 in "real time" as I wrote it.

Jewels #2 will be released in January 2016 so stay tuned for news on that front.

NaNoWrimo 2015 Final Stats Wrap-up

Words written week #4: 25,399

NaNo final grand total: 50,416