For the New Year I have decided to make a clean sweep of all the books that I am currently 'reading'. It has been such a long time since I picked any of them up that I would have to start them again. So here goes, with Operation Cleansweep!

3.5 Stars There are a lot of strange happenings going on at Cliffside Manor when Eleanor Harper arrives there to take over the director's position. She notices strange things and feelings of impending doom and this is even before things start happening.

First off, the outgoing director commits suicide the night after Eleanor takes the reins. Her note, while strange leaves no doubt it was her decision. Then, other strange notes start appearing. There are noises, things moving - all the ghostly phenomenons.

The upstairs bedroom (the former director's rooms) and its adjoining rooms are really creepy. One looks like a playroom and it has a rather large dollhouse that looks just like Cliffside Manor. Are you getting goose pimples yet? I am.

An entertaining, creepy, haunting, very strange ghost story that I wish to thank Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

The first few chapters of this book were really good, then the book came to a lull it began to drag through until about 1/2 way through then it really go to the reason I chose this book, the ghosts.  The last half of the book was really good and creepy.  The part that began to drag was over run with description that was a bit boring to me, and really had nothing to do with the story. When a thought takes 3 pages I get bored. But like I said once it got to about the half way point I couldn't put it down. There were a few surprises along the way, a lot of mystery, and yep ghosts and a demon as well. The book really is worth the read.

Ex Crime reporter Eleanor Harper has come to Cliffside Manor as the New director. Cliffside was built as a TB Sanatorium and then turned into a retreat for arts. Shortly after her arrival the previous director and owner of Cliffside is found dead in her room after committing suicide. Now it is up to Eleanor to welcome the new group of Fellows to the manor and to carry on the work of the Dare family. As she goes to bed that night she finds a very cryptic and threatening letter from the old director under her blankets. Telling her her nightmare has just begun and that there is a puzzle she must solve. Strange things start happening as well as a long standing feeling of dread. As soon as the 5 fellows show up things really get creepy. Can Eleanor save the fellows and herself from the ghosts of Cliffside Manor and solve the puzzle?

I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.

Favorite book of the month: Charm by Sarah Pinborough

Honorable Mentions: Duma Key by Stephen King, The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse by Brian Farrey, The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

(Not including re-reads in either of those, or it would be full of Rick Riordan and Maggie Stiefvater books, I'm afraid.)

Re-read that changed the rating: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (audiobook, but don't think that was actually the reason): went from 3 stars to 4, since apparently I was cranky when I read it the first time.

Longest in pages: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson at 544 pages

Longest in minutes: Duma Key by Stephen King at 1261 minutes

Total books ingested: 38

Re-reads/listens: 4 (4.5 if you're counting the Pride & Prejudice comic book as a partial re-read?)

Total books read: 28

Total pages read: 6291

Average pages per book: 224

Average pages per day: 202

Audiobooks ingested: 9

Minutes spent listening: 6465, or 107.75 hours

Average minutes per audiobook: 718, or just under 12 hours

Average minutes per day: 208.5, or just under 3.5 hours

Scores:

1: 1

2: 3

3: 21

4: 13

5: 0

Did not finish: 3

Average: 3.21

Reviews Written/Published: 22 (counting my three DNF books)

A pretty solid month, all-in-all. I totally aced my book challenge of "read what you want". Not that I don't kind of do that every month, admittedly, but I'm okay with that.

I somehow fell wildly in love with The Raven Cycle books, or at least more in love with them than I already am. I can't explain why exactly, but wow, I'm terrified to finish three since four is not yet out.

I generally read way too much, though on the plus side I'm on track for my 365 books this year (and then some), which is nifty. Audiobooks have become a new way of life, and I'm spending probably as much time on them as on reading books, though since they take me much longer I'm obviously finishing quite a few less.

Highlights of the month (though it was partially done last month, too) include listening to the Duma Key audiobook with my boyfriend and making crazy guesses on where it was going in real time (it's so nice to be able to have us genuinely reading it simultaneously--I'm hoping we continue this) and accidentally audiobook-ing three books in about 24 hours.

Next month is going to be all about finishing books I keep meaning to get around to, which probably means starting a whole lot of those lovely series that I keep seeing around and also getting a bunch of my NetGalley reads done. :x

How was your January? Anything interesting happen? Read any good books? ;)