Wednesday Reads and Changing Goals

No, I’m not changing my goal of posting 13 times a month (this is a doable goal!). I went and changed my reading goal from 93 to 65. Technically I’m now ahead of schedule, but I’ll be surprised if I reach 65. Here’s what I read the past week:

October 13: “Trust Me, I’m a Ninja” by Natalie Whipple, second book in the Ninja series, a paranormal young adult novel at 351 pages. Blurb from book: Life hasn’t exactly been rosy since Tosh Ito and Amy Sato rid San Francisco of the Akuma Clan ninjas. They still can’t control their powers, and no one really knows how to train them to be Inyo. Adding to their problems, Amy is distant and depressed and won’t say why. Before Tosh can figure her out, the Akuma Clan makes a comeback. A gate to the kami realm is opened and strange creatures roam the city, causing chaos. Only Tosh and Amy can stop it, but they don’t know how, and they haven’t got time to learn. The gate is getting bigger, and something dangerous is waiting on the other side. Something hungry for the soul of an Inyo. Such an entertaining series. Can’t wait to get into the next one.

October 14: “Back Off, I’m a Ninja” by Natalie Whipple, third (and final) book in the Ninja series, a paranormal young adult novel at 321 pages. Blurb from book: Sometimes it sucks being a ninja. Still reeling from their disastrous face-off with the demon Akuma, Tosh an Amy are desperate to get stronger. They gained a small victory last time, but the price was too high, and it keeps getting higher. Akuma isn’t taking any chances. While he hunts the Inyo’s ancestors in the kami realm, his ninja clan targets their living relatives. Each soul consumed weakens the Inyo more, and one devastating blow threatens to take them out of the fight completely. With family dying in both realms, Tosh and Amy are running out of options. Unless they can discover a new source of strength, they will be forced to do the unthinkable: Sever their connection to buy the living realm some time, or lose their souls—and everyone else’s—to Akuma. This was such a fun series to read. Lots of action, too.

October 17: “A Spirited Love” by Gemma Brocato, #4.2 in the Five Senses series, a contemporary romance novella at 92 pages. Blurb from Goodreads: Hearts entwined, their love will conquer history. Jem Kerrigan appears to have it all. Her husband, Jack, loves her to distraction. She owns a thriving café in Granite Pointe, and she’s considering expanding her business. The only thing not falling nicely into place, the thing she wants most, is a baby bump. Hoping to distract Jem from their inability to conceive, Jack buys Sea View House and encourages her to pursue her dream of opening a banquet space. Jem is skeptical when she sees the dilapidated wreck atop a bluff. Deserted for a decade, rumors are rampant about ghosts and ill-fated love stories. While there is something haunting about the hundred-year-old mansion, the woven hearts theme enchants Jem. After discovering the tragic story of the original owners, Jem begins to understand the importance of the carvings of entwined hearts scattered throughout the house. The motif quickly becomes a symbol of Jem’s love for Jack. The promise of their future together is spirited, even if Jem’s arms remain empty. Cute story. Meant for readers of the series.

I know, I know, I changed my reading goal and then went and read THREE books this past week. Highly unusual and not something I expect to maintain, thus the change.

Oh, and if I happen to surpass 65 books? Maybe I just want to see a goal COMPLETED, even if it’s a changed goal.

So… Do you change goals mid-stream, or stick with them and hope for the best? I had really wanted to stick with mine, but then thought why torture myself like that? Let me pick something doable and then be happy about that. So, that’s what I did. Besides, 65 ain’t that shabby a number. Is it?

Happy Reading!

Stacy