Bookreview: To Sir Philip, With Love

Author: Julia Quinn
Genre: historical romance
Published: 2003
Personal rating: 5/5
Yearly count: 6


As the fifth book in the Bridgerton series, this one focuses on Eliose Bridgerton, and picks up where Romancing Mister Bridgerton left off. Eliose discovers letters can be deceiving, as ones imagination can get the better of someone. However, even though Philip is nothing like she imagined, she might just come to realize that he’s everything she ever wanted…

This book has a fast pace and a very high humor content. It’s a great read, but to really understand where Eloise comes from, it might be best if you’ve at least read Romancing Mister Bridgerton.

Bookreview: Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Author: Julia Quinn
Genre: historical romance
Published: 2002
Personal rating: 5/5
Yearly count: 5
Romance Challenge 2/6

Romancing Mister Bridgerton is the fourth book in the Bridgerton series, and centers around Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington. Penelope has been in love with Colin for years, but doesn’t think he will ever notice her. But when he finally does, will her secret ruin everything?

This book is an amusing read, and has a very big surprise lurking in it’s pages. It starts out as a rather ordinary book, but the latter part of the book makes it a great read. Highly recommended, although reading the series in order is probably better for your enjoyment of this one.

24 Hour Read-a-thon (sticky post)

I'm currently reading for 24 hours. Hence the weird posts that pop up every hour. Don't worry, the blog will be back to normal after these 24 hours are up.

For the ones searching for the review thread for the Genre Challenge, don't worry, you'll find an announcement here on Monday for you guys about the brand new blog I'm building for that challenge!

End Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 11

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
All 8 books of the Bridgerton series would be good, but It's In His Kiss is the best one, as is The Duke And I

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
None whatsoever

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
The list with starting times for each time zone and the multiple hosts

5. How many books did you read?
6, almost 7

6. What were the names of the books you read?
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man
It's In His Kiss
On The Way To The Wedding (almost to the end)

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
It's In His Kiss

8. Which did you enjoy least?
When He Was Wicked, because of the fairly dark theme

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
n/a

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Very, very likely. I'll be a reader again, and maybe I'll host a mini-challenge

Hour 24 Wrap up post

Currently reading: On The Way To The Wedding (I'm almost done, and I will be finishing it up straight after these posts, because I do so want to know the ending!)

Pages read: 139
Running total of pages read since I started: 2349

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 21 hours 20 min


Mini-challenge this hour: End Survey
Prize you’ve won: being reader-of-the-hour (not an official price, but still!)

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man
It's In His Kiss

Comments about this hour:
It's done, finished, drat, I was almost done with my book. Ah well, I'll just finish up now, I'm dying to see if this book has a good ending. No actually, I know it will have a good ending, all these books do, it's just a matter of HOW...

Hour 23 up-date

Currently reading: On The Way To The Wedding

Pages read: 82
Running total of pages read since I started: 2210

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 20 hours 25 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: being reader-of-the-hour (not an official price, but still!)

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man
It's In His Kiss

Comments about this hour:
The plot thickens, as much as a romance plot can, anyway...

Hour 22 up-date

Currently reading: On The Way To The Wedding

Pages read: 99
Running total of pages read since I started: 2128

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 19 hours 30 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: being reader-of-the-hour (not an official price, but still!)

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man
It's In His Kiss

Comments about this hour:
The prologue of the book I'm reading now is fast paced and intruiging, but after that, the slow beginning of the first chapters is a bit of a let down. However, it seems that the pace may be picking up slightly, so that's good.

Hour 21 up-date

Currently reading: On The Way To The Wedding

Pages read: 108
Running total of pages read since I started: 2029

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 18 hours 40 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: being reader-of-the-hour (not an official price, but still!)

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man
It's In His Kiss

Comments about this hour:
I've reached my goal of six books, and there's time to start a seventh! I'm so happy! And oodly, I'm also very awake. Perfect time to start the conclusion of the Bridgerton series.

Hour 20 up-date

Currently reading: It's In His Kiss

Pages read: 112
Running total of pages read since I started: 1921

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 17 hours 50 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: being reader-of-the-hour (not an official price, but still!)

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man

Comments about this hour:
I can't believe how fast the time is flying now we're nearing the end. I'm also nearing the end of my book, and it's quite exciting, although I have the vague notion I've read it before, even though I know I didn't. Perhaps something with a similar storyline? A romance novel with a treasure hunt as a main theme is after all quite common.

Hour 19 up-date

Currently reading: It's In His Kiss

Pages read: 88
Running total of pages read since I started: 1809

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 16 hours 55 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: being reader-of-the-hour (not an official price, but still!)

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man

Comments about this hour:
I'm wide awake now, although my consumption rate of tea has reached an all time high. I'm very much loving It's In His Kiss, and I'm about half-way through.

Hour 18 up-date

Currently reading: It's In His Kiss

Pages read: 91
Running total of pages read since I started: 1721

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 16 hours 5 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows
Mistletoe Man

Comments about this hour:
Finished Mistletoe Man and started It's In His Kiss. Lots of humour in that one, so it should be great for the last couple of hours. And who knows, I might even be able to get started on the last book in the series.

Hour 17 up-date

Currently reading: Mistletoe Man

Pages read: 146
Running total of pages read since I started: 1630

Amount of time spent reading: 60 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 15 hours 10 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows

Comments about this hour:
It's light outside, and I'm feeling more awake. I'm nearing the end of my book, and the plot is thickening. On with the reading!

Hour 16 up-date

Currently reading: Mistletoe Man

Pages read: 70
Running total of pages read since I started: 1484

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 14 hours 10 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows

Comments about this hour:
Getting very engrossed in Mistletoe Man. Tiredness seems to be lifting, and the birds are beginning to sing, even thought there's no sign of the sun yet.

Hour 15 up-date

Currently reading: Mistletoe Man

Pages read: 78
Running total of pages read since I started: 1414

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 13 hours 20 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows

Comments about this hour:
Mistletoe Man is intruiging, but very different from what I've read so far. I'm having a bit of trouble getting used to the style again, but that could just be tiredness. I do like the book.

Hour 14 up-date

Currently reading: Mistletoe Man

Pages read: 66
Running total of pages read since I started: 1336

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 12 hours 25 min


Mini-challenge this hour: A Nod To Nonfiction
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked
Book of Shadows

Comments about this hour:
Finished Book of Shadows and started Mistletoe Man. I think a good, engaging mystery is just what I need to keep me going at this late (or very early, depending how you look at it) hour.

Hour 13 up-date

Currently reading: Book of Shadows

Pages read: 88
Running total of pages read since I started: 1270

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 11 hours 35 min


Mini-challenge this hour: Mid-Event Survey
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked

Comments about this hour:
I'm liking Book of Shadows, and I remember quite a lot from when I read it before. The writing is easy, and considering how sluggish I am, and how easy my mind drifts away at the moment, that's a good thing.
I'm still having fun, even though we're now heading towards the wee hours of the morning here. It's cozy, reading in the middle of the night, still wide awake while the world (or at least my part of the world) is sleeping.
And, thanks to everyone for their comments. They bring a smile to my face, and jolt me awake when I read them.

Mid-Event Survey

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?
Book of Shadows by Cate Tiernan

2. How many books have you read so far?
3

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Mistletoe Man by Susan Wittig Albert

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Nope, not this time

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
None, except my mother bringing me dinner :D

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
That time seems to fly even faster than the last time.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No, not that I can think of.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Nothing, really

9. Are you getting tired yet?
A bit, but it's better than the two hours ago.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
When you get tired, switch to young adult books or re-reads, there easier on the tired mind.

Hour 12 up-date

Currently reading: Book of Shadows

Pages read: 79
Running total of pages read since I started: 1182

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 10 hours 45 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked

Comments about this hour:
We're at the half-way point, I can hardly believe it. Time has flown by, and only when I remember we're in hour 12 do I understand why I feel so tired. I'm more tired than I was last year, but I'm not as tired as last hour. Besides, if last year is anything to go by, the dark hours of the night are the hardest part. When it turns light again, it's like your body gets a wake-up call.

Hour 11 up-date

Currently reading: Book of Shadows

Pages read: 117
Running total of pages read since I started: 1104

Amount of time spent reading: 60 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 9 hours 55 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love
When He Was Wicked

Comments about this hour:
Just finished When He Was Wicked. I'm starting to become tired, so I think I'll grab something easy. Book of Shadows should do the trick, it's a young adult book and a re-read (albeit from several years ago).

Hour 10 up-date

Currently reading: When He Was Wicked

Pages read: 96
Running total of pages read since I started: 987

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 8 hours 55 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love

Comments about this hour:
Four minutes away from midnight, I'm a bit tired, but not overly so. Grabbed a pot of tea instead of a cup, and I'm hoping it will keep me awake during the night. I'm 2/3 of the way in my book, and the best description I can offer is that it's different. Yeah, my brain doesn't seem to be coping well with reading so much, if my vocabulary is anything to go by.

Hour 9 up-date

Currently reading: When He Was Wicked

Pages read: 89
Running total of pages read since I started: 891

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 8 hours


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love

Comments about this hour:
The tone of my book has lightened considerably, and my reading pace has picked up again. This book is still the most heavy book I've read from Julia Quinn so far, but I do like it. Because it's more heavy, it's like I'm reading something different than a historical romance, even though it still, very obviously, is.
Now that it's late here, it's beginning to get chilly, so I've cuddled up on the couch with a nice warm blanket, and I'm going to get myself a nice, warm cup of tea.

Hour 8 up-date

Currently reading: When He Was Wicked

Pages read: 82
Running total of pages read since I started: 802

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 7 hours 10 min


Mini-challenge this hour: Local Library Challenge
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton
To Sir Philip With Love

Comments about this hour:
Finished To Sir Philip With Love, and decided to continue on with the series. When He Was Wicked starts out quite a bit darker than the previous two books I've read today, and I can see a drop in the number of pages I've read this past hour. I wonder if that's related? Do you read slower when the subject is more darker, more emotional? Or is it just that the hour's growing later (10 PM local time here)?

Love Your Local Library Mini Challenge

What is the name of your local library? What city is it located in?
I always go to the Public Library of Leiden, located in Leiden. We do have a library in my village, but their selection is small, so I always go to the 'big' library in the city.

How often do you go to the library? If you're a regular, do the staff know you?
At least every three weeks, sometimes more often. The staff know me by face, I think, but I don't interact with them much, because I always know what I want when I'm there, and where to find it.

Do you browse while you're there or just pick up items you have placed on reserve?
I go with a list, pick up the things on my list that are there, then I browse to see if I find something interesting. There's a limit of 10 books you can take out at any one time, and I mostly leave with ten.

What is your favorite thing about your local library?
The fairly large selection of historical fiction they have. I love historical fiction.

Hour 7 up-date

Currently reading: To Sir Philip With Love

Pages read: 125
Running total of pages read since I started: 720

Amount of time spent reading: 60 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 6 hours 20 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Comments about this hour:
My book's almost finished, only one more chapter to go. I've not decided if I will pick up the next book in the series or if I will pick something else for a change of pace. Night has fallen here, and I must say that with the light gone, the reading seems to be easier, cozier, instead of a guilty pleasure. Can you tell most of my reading is done in the evenings?

Hour 6 up-date

Currently reading: To Sir Philip With Love

Pages read: 121
Running total of pages read since I started: 595

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 5 hours 20 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Comments about this hour:
Feeling ready to continue now I'm not hungry anymore ;) To Sir Philip With Love is even better than the previous book, and I'm greatly enjoying it. Time seems to fly by, and we're already entering the seventh hour, I can't believe it!

Hour 5 up-date

Currently reading: To Sir Philip With Love

Pages read: 100
Running total of pages read since I started: 473

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 4 hours 25 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Comments about this hour:
This book has a faster pace than the last one, and I'm liking it very much. I'm also beginning to get hungry, it's almost an hour past dinnertime here. I think it's time to break out the finger foods that I've stocked up on especially for dinner. Reading with one hand still counts as reading ;)

Hour 4 up-date

Currently reading: To Sir Philip With Love by Julia Quinn

Pages read: 111
Running total of pages read since I started: 373

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 3 hours 30 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started:
Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Comments about this hour:

I finished Romancing Mister Bridgerton, and I must say, the latter part of the book made it rise above what I was expecting of it. It's a very good read! I've now started To Sir Philip With Love, and I'm curious to see if it's just as good, although I do hope that the intrigue will start a bit earlier this time.

Hour 3 up-date

Currently reading: Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Pages read: 94
Running total of pages read since I started: 268

Amount of time spent reading: 50 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 2 hours 40 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started: none

Comments about this hour:

My book's close to the end now, and it's getting exciting! Going back to read the end now....

Hour 2 up-date

Pages read: 91
Running total of pages read since I started: 168

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 1 hour 50 min


Mini-challenge this hour: none
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started: none

Comments about this hour:

I'm still greatly enjoying Romancing Mister Bridgerton, although I think it's not the best of the series. Still, it's rather amusing, and good for a first read.

Hour 1 up-date

Currently reading: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Pages read: 77
Running total of pages read since I started: 77

Amount of time spent reading: 55 min
Running total of time spent reading since I started: 55 min

Mini-challenge this hour: read-a-thon meme
Prize you’ve won: none

Books completed since I started: None

Comments about this hour:

Having fun!

Read-a-thon introduction meme

3 facts about me …

I live in the Netherlands
I study Biology at the Free University of Amsterdam
I'm addicted to tea

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

14

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?

Reading six books, and having 20 hours of pure reading time

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Best advice I can give is to read something you like, if a book doesn't grab you, don't continue reading it, just pick something else.

Read-a-thon start

And we're off!

Happy reading!

Bookreview: Abigail's Story

Author: Ann Burton
Genre: historical romance
Published: 2005
Personal rating: 4/5
Yearly count: 4
TBR Challenge: 2/12

This book is the first in a series about Woman of the Bible by Ann Burton. The books can be read in any order, because the stories are seperate. This book is about Abigail. She's briefly mentioned in the twenty-fifth chapter of Samuel, where she talks David, the future king of Israel, out of killing a lot of innocent people in his quest for revenge. We know what she said to David, and that she was married to Nabal, who's described as a fool. We also know she came from Carmel, but other than that, her life is a mystery.

In this book, Ann Burton tries to answer some questions, like why such an obviously smart woman was married to a man described as a fool, and why did David listen to her, when most of her speech is just flattery? To do that, Ann Burton has created a story in which she weaves historical details with fiction. She has created a back-story for Abigail, and we follow her on her path. This story, however, is also a romance story between Abigail and David, and a very realistic one also.

I've read this book with great pleasure, and found it a fascinating view in history, and a great story about a strong woman, who Ann Burton managed to keep authentic and believable. I'm very much looking forward to the other books in her series.

24 Hour Read-a-thon approaches...

The 24 Hour Read-a-thon, now called Dewey's Read-a-thon in her memory, is fast approaching. I'm joining this year, for the second time, as a reader. So, I thought I'd let you all get a peek at my reading stack for that evening.

First up are the remaining Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn. I've read the first three, so there are five remaining, namely Romancing Mister Bridgerton, To Sir Philip With Love, When He Was Wicked, It's In His Kiss, and On The Way To The Wedding. I'm going to at least start with Romancing Mister Bridgerton, because Julia Quinn's humour is just perfect for the start of the read-a-thon.

When I grow tired of Julia Quinn, if that happens, I can choose from two favorite writers. I've got Mistletoe Man, the next China Bayles mystery from Susan Wittig Albert. Her mysteries are always good, so I can't go wrong there. Might keep me awake through the night. I can also grab the next book in Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series, The Cross-Country Quilters. If I feel very daring, I might even go for a never-tried-before author, with Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder.

And, in the last hours, when my brain needs something simple, I might go for the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan. The first book of which I read a long time ago, so that would be a re-read, but that's ok. I've got the first six parts on the stack, namely Book of Shadows, The Coven, Blood Witch, Black Magic, Awakening, and Spelbound.


I'm already excited, and counting down the days. Are you joining? And if so, what are you going to read?

Posting will be back to normal...

I promis. I know I've disappeared of the radar, but that's because my mother was admitted to the hospital. She's home now, and beginning her long path to total recovery. But, while she was in the hospital, I was utterly unable to read, let alone post on any of my blogs.

Now though, I've started and finished Abigail's story, a beautiful book by Ann Burton (review will follow soon). I'll also be doing the 24 hr read-a-thon on the 18th of April. So you can look forward to lots and lots of posts!

I'm off to read now..