October reading roundup

October wasn't the best reading month for me, so I am relieved to have made it to 10 books read for the month. It didn't look like I would make it into double figures for a while there. I can't remember the last time I read less than 10 books in a month. The big reason for not reading as much is the fact that I have changed jobs and therefore have a lot less commuting time. Whereas I could read a standard sized book in two days previously, now it seems that it will take me the best part of a week. This is going to play havoc with my reading! It may well settle down a bit once I am not so mentally drained every day trying to implement new ideas and learn how things work at the new job. Hopefully anyway.

The books I did manage to read during October were:

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray 4/5
Winston's War by Michael Dobbs 4/5
Love Walked In by Marisa de la Santos 4.5/5
Kissing Sin by Keri Arthur 4/5
3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares 4/5
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown 3.5/5
Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon 3.5/5
Emma Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori 4/5
The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick 4.5/5
Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick 4.5/5

I am pretty impressed with myself. This month I wrote 5 reviews! It has been months since I have written that many reviews, and two of those were even current reviews! Go me! Hopefully I can keep that up in November.


Not quite so much cheering when it comes to challenges, but we are getting there slowly!

Before I talk about reading challenges I just want to briefly mention three things. Kailana and I will once again be joining forces and hosting the Blog Advent Tour this year. We are planning to have all the details of how to sign up and the ways you can participate within the next couple of weeks! We hope that we have lot of repeat participants, but we are always looking for new participants as well! If you haven't participated before, you can have a look at some of last year's posts by clicking on this link.

The other thing is more a request for assistance. I am looking for someone who is good with graphics who can create a button for me for a challenge I have in mind. Can anyone help the graphically challenged? If yes, please send me an email to ozdiamondlil at gmail dot com. Thanks in advance.

Has anyone else changed to the updated editor for Blogger. I do like it, but I cannot find the Spellcheck button anywhere! If anyone else can find it please let me know.

Onto my reading challenge update.

I still didn't get anything read for the Art History Challenge, although I did receive a book that qualifies. I did have two books out from the library which would have qualified, but I had to take one of them back unread. I see more of this disturbing behaviour in my future due to my reduced reading time!


Almost without realising it, I have completed the War Through the Generations challenge this month by reading Winston's War. The other books I read to complete this challenge were Briar Rose by Jane Yolen, Night of Flames by Douglas W Jacobson, The Piano Teacher by Janice Y K Lee and The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella.

I also finished the reading for the Reliquiae reading challenge this month having finished Kissing Sin by Keri Arthur and Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Whilst I haven't finished watching anything for the Period Drama Challenge, I have watch the first two episodes of North and South (the one based on the books by John Jakes, not the BBC version). I think I also recorded something to watch the other week. I wonder if I did or not.

I have already signed up for a challenge for next year. Kmont from Lurv a la Mode is hosting the Year of the Historical reading challenge for 2010. The idea is to read either historical fiction or historical romance.

I am planning to do a RIP reading challenge update separately a bit later today.