The Written World

Songs of Love and Death Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

2012-02-14T00:01:00.125-04:00

Songs of Love and Death: All Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

Completion Date: February 13, 2012
Reason for Reading: Fun!

IN this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Featuring stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.

I must say that I was very impressed with this short story collection. I tend to get bored, but there were no stories at all that disinterested me. They were all well-written and entirely deserved their spot in this collection. I thought I would post it as a special Valentine's Day feature.

'Love Hurts' by Jim Butcher - Read January 30, 2012
The collection starts off with a short story set in the world Butcher has created for his famous series The Dresden Files. I am a bit worried I spoiled part of the series for myself, but I am sure it wasn't too major and by the time I get to that part of the series I will have forgotten anyway. This story centres around Harry Dresden and Murphy, his police contact. This story involves mind control and love. A vast majority of the story takes place at a fair. Overall an enjoyable story. I really need to read more Jim Butcher.

'The Marrying Maid' by Jo Beverly - Read January 31, 2012
This story was perfectly timed after reading 'A Midsummer's Night Dream' earlier this month. It is basically a retelling of the famous play with fairies and some interesting twists. It is basically a romance story, but not entirely what you would expect. As someone that quite enjoys the elements of fairies I enjoyed this story more than I expected to. The story played out a bit weirdly, but it all makes sense by the end. Recommended.

'Rooftops' by Carrie Vaughn - Read February 1, 2012
I did read the first Kitty Norville book by Vaughn, but in amongst all my other series it sort of got lost. Last year, though, I read one of her standalone books and got a bit interested in seeing more from her. I was happy to see another standalone included in this collection. Vaughn is a good writer and really will have to get back to her major series. This is a story about superheroes which has been appearing in my reading a lot lately, (new Fables and The Unwritten for example), so I was curious what Vaughn's take would be. The story centres around a playwright who finds herself in the middle of a robbery one night. A masked man saves her and she can't entirely forget about him after that. The events of that night largely change who she is as a person as the story progresses. A fun take on the superhero idea. Recommended.

'Hurt Me' by M.L.N. Hanover - Read February 4, 2012
This story starts out creepy and then gets disturbing. It is an interesting look at domestic abuse and the use of ghosts. I think I will just leave it at that, but I will say this story will stick with me.

'Demon Lover' by Cecelia Holland - Read February 4, 2012
Cecelia Holland is an author I have long wanted to try, so I am happy to at least have read a short story by her. It was a good story, too. It takes in the fairy realm, magic, demons, and a tragic fate. Oh, and the importance of names. It was a good retelling of many popular tales.

'The Wayfarer's Advice' by Melinda M. Snodgrass - Read February 5, 2012
I am not even sure if I have heard of this author before, but she writes interesting science-fiction based on this story. I suppose I have been in a science-fiction mood lately, so this added to it. It was a bit predictable, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. I am glad I read it.

'Blue Boots' by Robin Hobb - Read February 6, 2012
I really should read more of Robin Hobb because I enjoy everything that I try. This was no exception. This is a short story that is set in the same world she created for her popular Farseer series. It was nice to revisit even if it was with different characters. Hobb is an author that I knew within one chapter of my first read by her that I was going to love. She has written some of the most memorable characters for me. So far this short story is probably the one that will stick with me the longest.

'The Thing About Cassandra' by Neil Gaiman - Read February 6, 2012
I know a lot of people love Neil Gaiman, but he is a bit hit-or-miss with me. I still have many of his popular novels on my TBR pile, though, so maybe I will love one of those enough to get beyond my typical hesitation about his reads. Now, this story, I actually enjoyed. I liked how everything came together in the end and it was creative idea for a story. This is an instance where Gaiman was a hit for me.

'After the Blood' by Marjorie M. Liu - Read February 10, 2012
This was an interesting vampire story. I am getting a bit tired of the sub-genre, but there are a few exceptions here and there. This is actually the first time I have ever even heard of the author before, but she writes well enough. It actually reminded me a bit of Carrie Ryan writing about vampires instead of zombies. I liked the characters and am a bit curious about what else the author has written.

'You, and You Alone' by Jacqueline Carey - Read February 10, 2012
I have wanted to read Jacqueline Carey for a while, but I am not so sure if she is for me. This is a short story set in her famous world, though. It was interesting, but I am not so sure I would want to read an entire novel. You never know, though, I might read more from her one day. She does write really well, but romance novels have never really been my thing and this takes that idea to the extremes.

'His Wolf' by Lisa Tuttle - Read February 12, 2012
I read Lisa Tuttle once a while ago but the book did not have a lasting effect on me. That is not to say that she is not a good author, but more that I read so many authors for the first time and have a very hard time getting back to them. This book sort of reminded me I should read her again. I actually really enjoyed this story, too. It was a very creative approach to the werewolf idea.

'Courting Trouble' by Linnea Sinclair - Read February 12, 2012
Another author I have never really read before, but I have heard of her. This was actually a science-fiction story. It was an interesting space opera and I think the author has a lot of potential for full-length novels. I will look forward to reading more from her in the future.

'The Dream Dancer' by Mary Jo Putney - Read February 12, 2012
I really liked this story. I thought it was a bit of an adventure, but also a sweet story. I really enjoyed how it all played out and have to applaud the author for her fun idea.

'Under/Above the Water' by Tanith Lee - Read February 13, 2012
This is one story I was a bit baffled with. It is not that I didn't like it, but more that it was so different that I wasn't entirely sure if I got everything that was going on until the end. It was a really good idea and everything, but I am not sure if I was paying the appropriate attention to what was happening. I am going to have to try again.

'Kaskia' by Peter S. Beagle - Read February 13, 2012
Okay, here's the deal. I have tried to read Beagle twice and never really got the big deal about him. This story, though, I have to admit was well-written. I still don't get an overwhelming love of him, but I think this was a much better attempt than previous ones.

'Man in the Mirror' by Yasmine Galenorn - Read February 13, 2012
This was a dark sort of romance story and not typical at all. It is also a ghost story. I quite enjoyed yet another creative idea for a story. I am glad I had the chance to read it.

'A Leaf on the Wind of all Hallows' by Diana Gabaldon - Read February 13, 2012
When I said that I was reading this short story collection many people mentioned being interested in this story in particular. I have only read the one book by Diana Gabaldon. I enjoyed it, but I have never felt any pressing desire to read more by her. I am not sure why that is because so many people enjoy her series. This story is related to one of the later books in the series. I have to admit I was a bit intrigued to see this short story played out a bit more, but who knows if I will ever tackle the series.

Week in Review (6)

2012-02-12T12:23:00.000-04:00

Random Thoughts

We actually had a snowstorm last night. I am a bit surprised because the winter has been quiet overall. One of the neighbours is helping the guy shovel, so I am just drinking my coffee and quickly throwing this post together. Casey is sitting in the window watching them. I think she wouldn't mind adventures outside, but because of our location we have decided she is going to be an indoor cat. So, she just watches from the window instead. One of the neighbours does let his cat out and when he walks by Casey freaks out. It is rather comical. They are actually throwing snowballs at the window and Casey got so excited I just watched her try and save herself from falling out of the window. I didn't know what she was doing. They are outside laughing at her.

Challenge News

I finished essay collections by Anne Fadiman, Barbara Kingsolver, and Margaret Atwood which count for the Essay Reading Challenge.

I finished Cinder which counts for the Science-Fiction Experience and The Telling Tales challenge.

Weekly Reads

I read and reviewed the latest book by John Green this week. (Personal Copy)

I was at my local book store the other day and I found this on their bargain table for 2 dollars. I had read another of her essay collections a couple years ago, but that was all the library had by her. I was very happy to find this and get to read more. It has always been in the back of my mind, but I didn't really think about it until I saw it sitting there. (Personal Copy)

I really enjoyed this book. I have owned it for ages... My copy is actually an ARC, so you can just imagine how long it has sat waiting its turn. I had started it before, but I don't think I was in the right mood for it. This time I flew through it with no problems. I will be reviewing this with Ana (Nymeth) at some point. (Personal Copy)

I received this in the mail this week and only started it when I did because it was in my car and I was waiting for something. I didn't love it. I am a person that enjoys books with a bit of action. I spent this book wishing something would happen. There were some interesting bits and it was well-written, but it just wasn't a type of book that would wow me. I am still happy that I read it. I read England, England by him at some point and enjoyed it, so I probably will read more from him in the future. (Personal Copy)

I had heard a lot of good things about this book, so I picked it up basically on a whim back in January. I probably could have got it from the library, but I was having a bad day and figured I deserved a new book. I really enjoyed it! It was a bit predictable, but that didn't take away from it at all. I look forward to seeing where the next book in the series takes us. (Personal Copy)

Wow, this was read your own books week. And, they were all physical books, so my TBR pile actually decreased by 6 books. Anyway, I figured this was a save pick by Atwood because I really enjoy her 3 Science-fiction/Dystopia/Whatever you want to call them books. This was an exploration of the genre and really well-done. I actually wish, though, that she had just stuck with the non-fiction. I wasn't really interested in short stories after reading all the interesting essays. This will be a buddy review later in the month. (Personal Copy)

Currently Reading:

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak
Songs of Love and Death
Bonk by Mary Roach

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (5)

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Buddy Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Rambling on Wednesday...

Friday Reads - 6th Edition

Saturday Snapshot - February 11, 2012

New Additions

Borrowed:

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harhach

A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry

The History of the World According to Facebook: A Parody by Wylie Overstreet

Enthralled Edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong

Down These Strange Streets Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardener Dozois

Bought:

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (gift card)

The Dread by Gail Z. Martin (gift card)

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Received:

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (Random House) (read)
The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott (Random House)

Second-Hand Bookstore with Credit:

Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody
The Farseekers by Isobelle Carmody
Dark Haven by Gail Z. Martin
Wake by Robert J. Sawyer
Ashling by Isobelle Carmody
Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett
10th Anniversary by James Patterson
Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors

Saturday Snapshot - February 11, 2012

2012-02-11T10:56:00.000-04:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at her blog At Home With Books.

Friday Reads - 6th Edition

2012-02-10T01:21:00.000-04:00

I am enjoying this book so far. I have read the first section and look forward to reading more.

This is actually one of the better short story collections I have read. I haven't been disappointed with any of them so far.

I am really enjoying this book, but it is a bit slower going than the other books I am reading so it sort of slacks...

I have been hearing lots about this author and I am finally reading her. I am enjoying it immensely! I am learning a lot.

Rambling on Wednesday...

2012-02-08T22:00:00.001-04:00

Photo Credit

I don't feel like doing anything formal today. It is supposed to be a post about music but Wednesday sort of came a bit faster than I was thinking. So, I am going to ramble.

The charming comedian (aka 'the guy') honestly told me yesterday that I should update and get a newer e-reader. And not even really an e-reader, but a tablet that has e-reading capabilities. I think he is crazy. The thing that got me was this was before my e-reader unexpectedly messed up and marked all of my books as 'unread'. So, all my read books show up like that, but I also lost my spot in the few books I had started. I was not impressed. Care suggested I start putting my reading statuses on Goodreads. That is a very good idea that I think about and then never actually do.
Today I had to haul all the books I read last year from this house to storage in order to make room for this year. I should haul them when there is a smaller amount, but I like watching the pile grow. It is a feeling of accomplishment, I guess.
I then tried to sneak a few books from storage. Do I need them? Nope. Was the guy surprised? Not really.
I am banning myself from the second-hand book store. I was there yesterday and they had just received a whole new batch of science-fiction and fantasy. Yes, it was book credit, but really didn't need more books. It's fun, though.
I am still wishing I had more hours in the day.

What are your random thoughts for the day?

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

2012-02-07T12:59:00.000-04:00

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Completion Date: January 21, 2012

Reason for Reading: Fun!

At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.

It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

I started the year out listening to this book on audio, but then the guy walked off with my mp3 player and lost my spot. This lead to me switching to reading it. When I was in the midst of this I was discussing possible buddy read with Melissa from Book Nut and we decided we would review this one together. We just asked each other questions. Here are my answers:

1. First off, what did you think?
I was very impressed. This book is like the nerds answer to literature. Plus, it is a love affair with the 80's which is a bit entertaining. I had been enjoying the book immensely for quite some time, but I think the moment I decided I was going to love it was when he dedicated an entire chapter to the band rush and their album 2112.

2. I'm going to ask a personal question: are you old enough to have gotten the 80s pop culture references in the book? Did it work for you as a plot device/gimmick?
I did get many of the 80s pop culture references. Not all of them, though. The funny part of the whole experience is I have never been much of a gamer and here I am reading a novel that centres around games from the 80's. I was very happy when there was lots of explanation because I had never heard of most of those before. The music, the movies, and the culture, though, I think I got most of it. And, I loved that aspect of the book. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if it was just a dystopian novel with a game as its main feature.

3. So, what did you think of the whole contest -- did the book work as a dystopian adventure story?
I liked the book because it was a bit different from the 'typical' books out there. It was still a dystopian novel, though, and they are very popular right now. I enjoyed the contest. I think it worked rather well overall. I enjoyed watching things play out and the thrill of moving on to the next level. I also enjoy how he didn't make things too simple and there were epic battles with the enemies. It was a book about a lot of things and I think that made it all the more special.

4. Did you like any of the characters? What did you think of the whole real vs. virtual life aspect of the story?
Well, who hasn't dreamed of escaping? The Oasis offers the perfect way to do that, right? I am not so sure I could imagine vanishing entirely, but they didn't have a great world to live in at the best of times. The world now is getting more about having a 'real life' identity and an 'online' identity. Just look at the world of blogging, online dating, etc. I think he picked a topic that most people can easily relate to.

As to the characters, I think they all worked well together. If the book was just about Wade it might have got a bit boring. It makes it more human when he has friends, enemies, and even a love interest. I even enjoyed James Halliday as we learned more and more about him as the book progressed.

5. So, I thought he got a little moralistic at the end... what did you think of the ending?
Yeah, the ending was just... weird... I didn't really feel it had the same tone as the rest of the book. It was almost like Cline had this ending in mind for the entire writing process and didn't much care if it didn't fit the book as well as it could have. I have all ready started forgetting the parts of the ending I didn't care for and just remembering the overall experience in a positive light.

You can read Melissa's answers to the questions I asked her by clicking here.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-02-06T20:27:00.000-04:00

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Completion Date: February 5, 2012
Reason for Reading: Author auto-buy/read.

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Once upon a time I didn't read young adult novels. I didn't like them when I was a young adult, so I planned to avoid them when I was an adult. Then, I started blogging. I was amazed by how far young adult books had come and slowly started working a few here and there back into my reading line-up. It was slow at the start and mostly consisted of books I received for review. I remember the book that started it all was A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. Then, in 2009 I rejoined the local library and started exploring some of the young adult authors I had been hearing so much about. That year was a bit year for new finds including John Green. And, it all started with Dewey.

You see, Dewey was a book blogger that unexpectedly passed away a few years ago. In 2009 Chris hosted a challenge in her memory and the aim was to read books that she had read and recommended. One such book was Looking for Alaska by John Green. (If you click the link you will be taken to a letter I wrote to Dewey after reading this book). Now it is 3 years later and I have read everything that John Green released. I wound up reading An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns in 2009 and also writing letters for Dewey. It was sort of my 'thing' that year. I would have kept it up but her blog no longer exists... The whole point is that Dewey and John Green are connected in my mind. When I heard that he had a new book coming out I knew that not only would it probably be another wonderful read, but I would also have the chance to connect with an old blogging friend. It's sad that the person that lead me to John Green in the first place wasn't around for me to be able to discuss the book with when I finished.

Anyway, since a lot of bloggers have no idea who Dewey even was outside of maybe the Read-a-thon, I should probably move on to the actual book. I finished it yesterday and let's just say it was my first 5 star review of the year. I had started it the night before, but only read 50 pages. Yesterday I planned to sit down with it for a bit and then move on to something else. That did not happen at all. I pretty much read the book in one sitting. I only stepped away from it for a moment because folks, the book made me cry a bit. I am not much for crying during books and movies, but I got so caught up in the story and the characters that I felt a lot more emotion than I normally do. (I was a bit glad that other than the cat I had the house to myself at the time...) I really thought I had my favourite John Green and nothing would replace it, but this book was amazingly well done. I don't even really enjoy contemporary novels, but this one will likely make my best of list for 2012. I don't care if it really is too early to say.

I chose to ramble about other things because this book is really making the blogging rounds; so you probably have heard a few times what the book is about. And, if you haven't you can visit blogs such as things mean a lot, Stuff as Dreams are Made on... and still with nothing of importance who chose different ways to express their thoughts on this book and maybe even mentioned the plot...

And, I can't join in on what colour my signature is because my book is not signed... I pre-ordered it and then had to email the book store looking for my copy. They were nice and sent it, but I guess by then all the signed copies were gone. I was a bit disappointed, but I'll live.

Week in Review (5)

2012-02-05T11:07:00.000-04:00

Random Thoughts

It is hard to believe it is February all ready. It has been a strange winter. Normally by now I am just sick of snow and shovelling, but we haven't really had a lot of snow this year. It has been a very strange winter. Last winter we had so much snow we didn't know where to put it any more and we ended up shovelling off the roof. When it does snow Casey enjoys sitting in the window watching it fall. She was an outside cat before, but we have too much traffic here. If I can help it she will be staying inside. It is just me and her for the afternoon, so I am thinking a reading day is in order. I have a lot of stuff on the go and would like to finish a bit of it up so I can start new things.

Challenge News

Naked by David Sedaris counts for the Essay Reading Challenge. My goal was only to read 10 essays, so I am technically finished. I am considering making it 10 collections instead. We will see how February goes first, though.

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin & Lisa Brown counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

Weekly Reads

This last week I read the second book in the Mythos Series. I even reviewed it all ready. You can read my review by clicking here. (Library)

I actually mostly have a review done of this book, too, so hopefully will get a chance to post it soon. It was my first time reading David Sedaris. I wasn't entirely sure what I thought of it in the very beginning, but once I got used to the writing and his humour it was an enjoyable read. I think the only reason it took a story or two is because I started this book and then a really long time went by before I picked it up again. (Personal Copy)

This was my last read of January. It also meant catching up in a series which is always exciting. I continue to really enjoy the characters and the stories. I think things are moving along at a good pace now and I am enjoying the development. I look forward to where we go with the series next. (Personal Copy)

My copy of this FINALLY arrived and I decided to read it basically right away. I closed my eyes and picked a side, so I started out reading Evelyn's first. This is basically a book that is just aesthetically interesting, so I decided that I had to own it. It did take me a bit to get a good method of holding it, though. My usual method usually lead to it falling everywhere. I enjoyed the story, too. I always enjoy Medieval literature, even if I don't read it very much any more, so the connection to it interested me. (Personal Copy)

This was my last read for the week. It was a review copy that I received from Sourcebooks a few days ago. I enjoy a good ghost story from time to time, so I decided to give this one a read sooner rather than later. I didn't love the book, but I did really enjoy it. I think it had good atmosphere and the use of pictures really added to the story. Plus, it was set during a time period that I don't really read a lot about. I will discuss it more soon. (Personal Copy)

Currently Reading:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Gender Outlaws

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood

Songs of Love and Death

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (4)

Review: Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

January in Review

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 12

Friday Reads - 5th Edition, A Sherlock Holmes Watching Experience, and a Few Other Things...

Saturday Snapshot - February 4, 2012

New Additions

Borrowed:

Songs of Love & Death Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

Camp Nine by Vivienne Schiffer

Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep (e-book) (Read)

Received:

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown (Sourcebooks)
Low Town by Daniel Polansky (Doubleday Books via the author)
The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney (Authors Publicist)
You Comma Idiot by Doug Harris (Goose Lane Editions)

Bought:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (gift card)
The Unwritten - Volume 5: On to Genesis by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (gift card)
Den of Thieves by David Chandler
Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris
Maidens' Trip by Emma Smith

The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss (gift card) (read)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (read)

Saturday Snapshot - February 4, 2012

2012-02-04T21:55:00.000-04:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at her blog At Home With Books.

This is just a cute picture of Casey.

Friday Reads - 5th Edition, A Sherlock Holmes Viewing Experience, and a Few Other Things...

2012-02-03T15:02:00.000-04:00

Friday Reads 5th Edition

I only read the introduction to this book. I am supposed to read it for a buddy read this month, though, so I really should get around to it soon. I want to finish the Kingsolver first, though.

I didn't really need another short story collection, but this came in for me at the library and I decided to see about finishing it to post about on Valentine's day. It just seemed to be good timing.

I am really enjoying this book, but with all my other 'projects' it keeps getting pushed to the side. When I do read it I spend a bit of time with it, but obviously I need to spend a bit more!

This will probably be on here for the month. I am just reading a story or 2 here and there depending on how much time I have. I think this is going to be my method for the year because I have many short story collections that are unread.

This book continues to be rather interesting. For one thing, I think it is brave for people to share their experiences in such a public format. It also gives you things to think about. I like to say I am pretty open-minded, but there are times where I probably could be more so...

I am about halfway through this book and really enjoying it. I have been brain-storming ways to have even a little garden this year, which I do most years anyway, and I was explaining to the cc yesterday that I would really like to learn how to make cheese.

At the rate I am going this is going it will be 2013 before I finish it. It's my own fault. I never have enough hours in the day for everything that I want to do and I always have too many books on the go!

Watching BBC Sherlock Season 1: A Q & A About the Experience with Suey and Melissa.

Suey's Questions:

-- Favorite thing about this show?
Well, first up I am very happy that Sherlock Holmes is played by someone other than Robert Downey Jr. As much as I enjoy the movie versions he is just not who I had pictured for Holmes. I am a bit torn on the two actors playing Watson, though. They are both very different; but each have their strong points. On a more serious note, my favourite things about the show are the humour, creativity of changing the time period entirely and making it work, and the chemistry between Watson and Holmes. Obviously that ties into the humour over and over again, but what I actually mean is that the two actors work well together.

-- Least favorite thing about the show?
Okay, I am sure there is probably something, but nothing is really coming to mind at the moment.

-- Analyze the characters.
Well, first there is Sherlock. I think that he is played really well. I can picture the character that I have read about easily while watching him on the screen. He might not be a perfect casting choice, but that is the hard part about watching books become movies. I enjoy watching his mind work and his humour even if he is not necessarily trying to be funny. I think it is a good interpretation of how Sherlock works. Then, we have Watson. When I saw him in the very beginning I didn't really think he matched what I had always pictured as a Watson, but as I continued to watch I couldn't help thinking he captures the character very well. He is a perfect companion for Holmes and plays off him very well. I also enjoy that instead of writing their adventures into books he is blogging about it. I am just going to go with the two main characters.

-- How is this one different from other Sherlock shows?
I have to admit that I have only really watched Sherlock the one other time and that was just the Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law movies. I believe that their core the shows are very similar, but the writers also have their own interpretations of how to show it on the screen. Also, this show is actually British with British actors. The movies are not. They do have things like the humour, the connection of Holmes and Watson, etc in common, though.

-- Are you most into the stories? Or the characters? Or the actors?
I think it is a little bit of both. The stories really come together and I enjoy learning both the back stories and watching Holmes get to the bottom of the cases. Then, I really enjoy both Holmes and Watson. They make the watching experience a lot of fun. And, in order for them to work so well they have to be played by wonderful actors. So, I enjoy all three.

My Questions:

-- Have you ever read the original novels? If so, how do you think the characters compare to those in the books?
I have read some of the original books, but I haven't finished. I would like to catch-up this year, though. I have read enough to get an idea of the characters, though, and like I said above they might not be exactly as I pictured them, but they still have a lot going for them.

-- Which was your favourite episode of the 3?
I think the very first one was my favourite just because I enjoyed the puzzle of it all. But then, I also enjoyed when Moriarty was introduced through a voice on the phone and Holmes had to solve puzzles to save them all. I really think all three episodes had redeeming qualities that made them all very enjoyable overall.

-- Did you like how the show is set in the present day?
I love it! I think it opens up much more creativity for the show to break away a bit from the 'common' story. It also opens up the door for new technology. In the very first episode when they are having a press conference and Sherlock keeps sending text messages to all of the reporters telling them the police are wrong is priceless. This is not something that would have been possible if they had set it in the past.

-- What do you think of how while Sherlock is thinking words appear on the screen instead of the watcher being left in the dark.
I love this idea! The guy does, too. I like watching how Sherlock comes up with his ideas. The way that he thinks is wonderful. We should all be more observant!

-- What do want to see in the second season?
Well, I am going to be obvious and just say I want to know how the cliff-hanger ending is addressed.

Final Thoughts: This was fun! I don't watch a lot of things as a group, so I was excited to do something a bit different. If you have read my blog with any regularity you will notice that I enjoy buddy reads, so this was the next possible step. I also think we chose a great show to try this with. I look forward to more review with Suey and Melissa in the future, but also to more Sherlock!

Then, I just wanted to inform everyone that there will be the first months wrap-up post on Lu's blog today. Be sure and check it out and make sure you didn't miss anything. The Linky and such for February will be on this blog on the 28th. I hope to see people participate!

Lastly, I know I won't have time to join in for this event, but if anyone needs someone to write to I will happily write back. I also collect postcards... Just saying! (If you need my address just ask.)

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 12

2012-02-02T22:03:00.000-04:00

Television

Bomb Girls - This is a Canadian mini-series set during WWII. It is 6 parts and we watched the first two the other night just to see what it is like. It is actually rather interesting. I am just a bit disappointed that it is a Canadian show and it about the American war experience, but that is pretty much to be expected. I do still enjoy shows that centre around the female experience and the women that built the bombs during the second World War.

The Muppet Show: Season 1 - I am trying this again. I have yet to make it to the end because of various problems, so I am determined to this time around. I have watched about 5 episodes lately.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - We were hooked up with the seasons of this show. The guy has been skipping around watching favourite episodes, but I want to eventually go back and start from the beginning. I have always figured I have seen every episode, but I am curious if I have missed any. We actually watched the very last episode last night because I always rather enjoyed it and the guy had never seen it before.

And, just because this is a bit boring, here are some more Walk off the Earth videos:

January in Review

2012-02-01T21:25:00.000-04:00

What I Learned

Well, there really are not enough hours in the day for everything that I would like to do each month. I didn't set formal goals, but I tried to read more poetry, essays, and short stories. I think that was a success and I hope to keep it up in February. One other goal that was in the back of my mind was to try and read more non-fiction. In January I read 4. That might be a bit depressing, but I suppose it is better than none. I have a couple on the go at the moment, so hopefully February will be a bit better.

I decided this year to start tracking more things. I am using Fyrefly's spreadsheet and I have two from Marg that I plan to get organized this weekend. It's really not that much work. I just take the book and enter it on there right away after finishing it. From Fyrefly's spreadsheet I have actually found that in January I read more books by men than women. It works out to 14 men, 6 women, and 1 short story collection by various authors. There have been years where I have kept track of this statistic, but not the last couple. I will be curious to see how the year progresses. According to Goodreads, if I continue with my goal of 240 books for 2012, I am right on track. I got 239 last year and I only read like 6 books in November and December combined, so it should be doable.

New to Me Authors

Rachel Bertshe (MWF Seeks BFF)

Lois McMaster Bujold (Falling Free)

Isaac Asimov (Foundation)

Caroline Preston (The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt)

Erin Blakemore (The Heroine's Bookshelf)

Rae Carson (The Girl of Fire and Thorns)

Ernest Cline (Ready Player One)

Joshua Foer (Moonwalking with Einstein)

David Sedaris (Naked)

Series Talk

Fables Series: 16/16 - CAUGHT UP!

Vorkosigan Series: 1/14

The Unwritten Series: 5/5 - CAUGHT UP!

Foundation Trilogy: 1/3 (Currently reading book 2)

The Girl of Fire and Thorns Series: 1/1 - CAUGHT UP!

Scott Pilgrim Series: 6/6 - FINISHED!

Mythos Academy Series: 2/2 - CAUGHT UP!

The Source

Christmas Gift Cards: 5

Gift: 4

Used Book Store: 1

Library: 7

Review Copy: 1

Free Download: 3

If anyone is curious this works out to only actually paying for one of them, the one from the Used Book Store, and that was probably with credit.

What I Read

1. MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche (NF) (Completed January 2, 2012)

2. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Completed January 3, 2012)

3. Fables - Volume 16: Super Team by Bill Willingham & Company (GN) (Completed January 3, 2012)

4. Falling Free (Vorkosigan Series) by Lois McMaster Bujold (SF) (Completed January 6, 2012)

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5. The Unwritten - Volume 4: Leviathan by Mike Carey & Company (GN) (Completed January 8, 2012)

6. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (SF) (Completed January 8, 2012)

7. Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Series, Book 1) (SF) (Completed January 12, 2012)

8. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston (HF) (Completed January 13, 2012)

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9. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (Play) (Completed January 16, 2012)

10. The Heroine's Bookshelf: Life Lessons, From Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder by Erin Blakemore (NF) (Completed January 17, 2012)

11. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Fire and Thorns Series, Book 1) (YA/F) (Completed January 21, 2012)

12. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (SF) (Completed January 21, 2012)

13. Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness (Volume 3) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Manga) (Completed January 21, 2012)

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14. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Volume 4) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Manga) (Completed January 22, 2012)

15. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer (NF) (Completed January 22, 2012)

16. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Volume 5) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Manga) (Completed January 25, 2012)

17. Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour (Volume 6) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Volume 6) (Completed January 25, 2012)

18. Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things... by McSweeney's Press (SS) (Completed January 26, 2012)

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19. Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy Series, Book 2) by Jennifer Estep (YA/F) (Completed January 30, 2012)

20. Naked by David Sedaris (Essays/NF) (Completed January 31, 2012)

21. The Unwritten - Volume 5: On to Genesis by Mike Carey & Company (GN) (Completed January 31, 2012)

Books Added to the TBR Pile

Bought:

Fables Volume 16: Super Team by Bill Willingham & Company (Gift Card)

The Fox Woman by Kiji Johnson (Gift Card)

The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier (Gift Card)

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (Gift Card)

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Carloine Preston (Gift Card)

The Shadow of Malabron by Thomas Wharton (Gift Card)

The Unwritten Volume 4: Leviathan by Mike Carey (Gift Card)

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (Gift Card)

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Gift Card)

The History of History by Ida Hattemer-Higgins

Little, Big by John Crowley

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

At Large and at Small: Confessions of a Hedonist by Anne Fadiman
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (gift card)
The Unwritten - Volume 5: On to Genesis by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (gift card)
Den of Thieves by David Chandler (99 cents e-book)
Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris (99 cents e-book)
Maidens' Trip by Emma Smith

Received:

The One Dish Collection by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen (Random House)

The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele (Penguin)

Paris My Sweet by Amy Thomas (Sourcebooks)

Used Credit to Acquire:
Killbox by Ann Aguirre
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
White Tiger by Kylie Chan
The Pretty Details of So-and-so's Life by Camilla Gibb
Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
The Collected Stories by Carol Shields

Civil Campaign: A Vorkosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cordelia's Honor: A Vorkgosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Grass by Sheri S. Tepper

The Sons of Heaven: A Company Novel by Kage Baker

Diplomatic Immunity: A Vorkogsigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold

Barrayer by Lois McMaster Bujold

Fate's Edge: A Novel of the Edge by Ilona Andrews

In the Garden of Iden: A Company Novel by Kage Baker

Memory: A Vorkosigan Novel by Lois McMaster Bujold

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander

The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller by Jeff Rubin

That is a lot of books... And, I didn't actually pay for any of them between gift cards, Christmas money, and credit at the Used Book Store. I love January! I still didn't need quite so many, but in any case...

Thoughts for February

I would like to finish up some of the books that are left over from January. I would like to continue to read more non-fiction, essays, poetry, and short stories. I would also like to work on some challenges. There are books I am currently reading that will count for a few.

Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event! - Month 1

2012-01-31T00:01:00.082-04:00

Today is the first wrap-up post for Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event! If you are joining in, you will find Mr. Linky on Lu's blog this month.

This Months Poems Recommended by Lu:

'Please' by Yusef Komunyakaa (Poem Found Here) - Read January 8, 2012
First up, I have never really talked about poetry on my blog before, so I am not entirely sure what I am supposed to say. This is a poem that to me seems about the guilt of events from a war. The narrator, or maybe even the author, did something that he is not proud of and is asking for forgiveness. I think the mood is captured very well considering it is on the shorter side. I believe you can feel the emotions that the author was trying to express and I am left feeling bad for the person that feels guilty. I am off to a good start!

'The Sea is History' by Derek Walcott (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I was off to a good start, but the month sort of ran away from me. I wasn't able to find 'At the Screen Door' by the author above, so I skipped down to this one. I grew-up by the sea, so this poems title sounded interesting. As I was reading it I could picture waves crashing through the rhythm of the poem. I think that the author drew some interesting relationships between the sea and history. I enjoyed reading this poem.

'Cottonmouth Country' by Louise Gluck (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
This was a bit of a bleak poem. I am not entirely sure what to make of it. I think it would help if I entirely knew what a cottonmouth is. I am not even entirely positive that is a type of plant and not just a metaphor of some sort. If it is a plant, which I know I could easily look up, the poem actually makes a lot of sense to me. It is the sort of thing that could be said about most anything in this day and age, actually. The poem was short, but I don't think it would need to be any longer. It conveys its point.

'All Hallows' by Louise Gluck (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I think so far this poem was my favourite. I think because I live in an area where the story behind it is very easy to relate to even if it doesn't directly influence myself. It is another bleak sort of poem, but that works for it. I also enjoy the imagery. I might have found a poet I like enough to explore outside of this list.

'October' by Louise Gluck (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
The list from Lu only includes the first section of the poem, but I figured while I had it all there in front of me I was going to read it. Once again it is a depressing poem, which is sad because October is my favourite month of the year. That being said, when you read the overall poem you can appreciate why the tone is what it is. Plus, I am starting to get into the rhythm of reading poetry today and appreciating the wording and imagery all that much more.

'At the Fishhouses' by Elizabeth Bishop (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I was planning to move on to some of Jason's list, but then I noticed that this author had a connection Nova Scotia. As I live in Nova Scotia I was curious about her. This poem was so easy for me to read and picture in my minds eye because I have seen many of the things she captures. She expresses herself wonderfully and there are lines where I was thinking 'Wow, she captured that well...' Maybe I like poetry more than I thought... I still can't imagine reading whole collections of it, but this is fun so far!

'First Death in Nova Scotia' by Elizabeth Bishop (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
This is how I figured out that Bishop had a Nova Scotia connection. A poem set in Nova Scotia by someone that lived her for a time is of interest to me. This poem was slightly different than the other poem I read by her, but still very well-written. I would have enjoyed seeing Nova Scotia itself through her eyes, but her mention of loons and 'Maple Leaf Forever' were good examples of the Nova Scotia she would have known at the time.

'The Bat' by Claudia Emerson (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I figured while I was on a roll I would check out this author. I have had bats in the house so I know how unpleasant they can be. I was saying on Twitter the other day that I am always a bit worried they will get tangled in my hair. I don't really mind them otherwise. In the warmer weather it is quite common for you to be outside and see them swooping around. I don't think I would be very happy if someone attacked one with a broom, though...

'Daybook' by Claudia Emerson (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
I think my biggest issue with poetry is that I am not so good with the abstract. When I read something I prefer knowing what is going on. This poem does exactly that. It captures something that you can entirely relate to and understand. There is still good writing and imagery but I don't have to second-guess myself for knowing what this poem may or may not be about. I like that better.

Then, I moved on to one of Jason's Poems:

'Goblin Market' by Christina Rossetti (Poem Found Here) - Read January 25, 2012
When I first received my list from Jason and saw this poem on it I got a bit excited. I have always enjoyed this poem and even own a copy of a book where it is the title poem. I own very little poetry, so this is a huge distinction! I am thinking that anyone that enjoys this poem will have lots of other treasures for me to explore. It basically ties into my enjoyment of fantasy and fairy tales. And really, folks, this is Dante's sister. If you haven't read it you should go and do so!

Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

2012-01-30T22:01:00.001-04:00

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep (Mythos Academy Series, Book 1)

Completion Date: December, 2011

Reason for Reading: I blame Cat from Beyond Books for introducing me to this series. (In a good way.)

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

This was one of the last books I read in 2011. I was so happy to actually read something, but I never got around to reviewing it. I have found that while young adult works its way into my reading a lot nowadays, there are very few books that wow me enough to make my best of list. I have to say that even though this one did not make it; I still really enjoyed it. You see, I really enjoy Mythology and I am getting a bit tired of vampires, witches, etc. When I learned that the main character in this series, Gwen, was a Gypsy I was intrigued. Then, I discovered that the book takes place at a boarding school. I seem to really enjoy books that have that as a setting. The thing that made me pick up the book in the end, though, was the fact that it includes Amazons, Spartans, and other historical superheroes AND the Gods and Goddesses they believed in at that time. It was just a different idea from the norm and I was in the mood for something different.

Anyway, as I was saying this book centres around Gwen Frost. She had a very normal up-bringing other than the fact that when she touched a person or their personal objects she could pick-up on their emotions, memories, etc. The Gypsy trait runs through the women in her family. Her grandmother Frost can tell the future to a degree and her mother had the ability to tell when people were telling the truth. I say 'had' because Gwen's world has been turned upside down following the horrific death of her beloved mother. It is only after that she goes to Mythos Academy and begins to learn just what people are capable of and just what amazing things have been there all along that she didn't even know about. Her mother and grandmother decided she she was going to be raised separate from that world, but situations have changed.

So, what did I think? Gwen is a kick-ass heroine. You have to give her some credit as she comes to terms with her new world, so she can still be a bit naive at times and do stupid things, but ultimately she is totally not a damsel in distress. That does not mean she doesn't need some help along the way. The people she is going to school with have been training for years and she hasn't even known about all of this for more than a few months. There is a bit of weirdness with the romance angle of the book, but I have seen much worse. Overall I was happy with the world that Jennifer Estep has created. It fits in well with the world we know about and that makes it believable. I enjoyed all of the characters and found watching everything from Gwen's perspective worked for the book. Recommended!

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep (Mythos Academy Series, Book 2)

Completion Date: January 30, 2012
Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. My Spartan classmate relentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over again, the shining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes practically glowed with the thrill of battle...

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

Then we fast-forward to January of 2012. I was browsing the library e-book catalogue looking for something else and stumbled across Kiss of Frost. I decided that I was engaged enough in the overall story to read on with the series right now instead of waiting forever which is my norm. I also decided that this way I could review the two books I had read in the series at the same time and that works for me. I am always a bit worried about the second book in trilogies because they can tend to drag, but this one continues on with the action. I think it is because there is an overarching story to the series, but at the same time there are separate events that are necessary in order to reach a conclusion. This gives the author different things to focus on with each book. So, once again I enjoyed visiting with Gwen Frost and Mythos Academy.

As to the book itself, Gwen learns that she has more powers that she originally thought. She uses these powers for impressive pursuits and continues to be a readable character. I am still a bit annoyed with the screwed up romance, but at least we can begin to understand it a bit more with this book. This book also gives us more insight into Gwen, the Reapers (bad guys), and the evil God Loki and what he is up to. I believe there will be a lot going on in book 3, so I am looking forward to that. I also have been thinking this is probably a series and not a trilogy because there is way too much to work on. (And, it is. I checked.) What I do know is that I say too much more I will give away book 1 to those that haven't read it, so I will just be cryptic and say that this book, and the series, are recommended.

Mythos Academy Series
Touch of Frost
Kiss of Frost
Dark Frost (June, 2012)
Crimson Frost (January, 2013)

Week in Review (4)

2012-01-29T15:37:00.001-04:00

Random Thoughts

I am actually proud of my week even though I still didn't finish as many books as I would hope to have. I read poetry, short stories, and essays. Those are goals I have ever year that tend to get neglected, so hopefully I can keep up the momentum. The poetry is for the poetry day I am co-hosting with Lu from Regular Ruminations. For those of you that need a reminder that day is Tuesday and you can read all the details on the original post. Mr. Linky will be at Lu's blog this time around. I look forward to seeing all the posts!

On the other hand, I haven't had a time to do many things I would like to have done. I am desperately behind on blog-hopping, so hi to all the people that read this post. I should hopefully get some time tonight or tomorrow to catch-up a bit. What is everyone else up to lately? In my household it is an obsession with Walk off The Earth. The guy has been watching and listening to them obsessively. And, since I agree it is pretty cool here is their most recent video that is getting them all the attention:

Isn't it cool? And, they are Canadian... Canadians are just very talented. I look forward to seeing what they do next. I think there is a lot of pressure on them to top this video. They were even on Ellen. YouTube has definitely changed the world. They have lots of video but it is only their more recent stuff that has really stood apart from everything.

Challenge News

Nothing I finished this week counts for any specific challenges.

Weekly Reads

I read Volumes 4, 5, and 6 of Scott Pilgrim this week. Do you know what that means? I FINISHED A SERIES! In January no less. That's a great start to the year... I still am not a huge fan of the series, but overall it was a lot of fun and I am glad I got a chance to finish it. I think it helped to read the last few books in close succession. (Library)

I have seen this book around the blogosphere amidst lots of praise. And, I have to say, this book was very interesting! I actually want to read more books along the same idea because I think it would be fun (and helpful) to have a better memory. What I need is a way to remember characters names from books because I am terrible with that. I almost always have to check back when I go to write a review. Isn't that terrible? Obviously the memory idea is not going to be helpful with where you parked your car (or actually what car you are driving) or where you placed your wallet, but it is a very interesting subject. Does any one have any suggestions on books on a similar subject?

The very wonderful and sweet Debi sent me a copy of this book for Christmas and I actually read it! I have other gifts that have resided on my TBR pile for way too long. It's nice to read things in a timely fashion. If I did that all the time, though, I wouldn't have a TBR pile. Do you know I can still remember when my pile was little? Anyway, I would love to say that I loved this collection, but the stories ranged. I will do a more detailed review very soon. (Personal Copy)

Currently Reading:
The New Space Opera 2
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Gender Outlaws edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Berman
Naked by David Sedaris
Kiss of Death by Jennifer Echols
The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (3)

Buddy Review: Affinity by Sarah Waters

Review: Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

What are you Listening to Wednesday - Week 10

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 11 and Friday Reads 4th Edition

Launch of New Goose Lane Books Website

New Additions

Borrowed:

Scott Pilgrim's Greatest Hour (Volume 6) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Read)

Scott Pilgrim vs the Universe (Volume 5) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Read)

Below Stairs by Margaret Powell

Gender Outlaws edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Berman

Received:

The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele (Penguin)
Paris My Sweet by Amy Thomas (Sourcebooks)

Bought:
At Large and at Small: Confessions of a Hedonist by Anne Fadiman

Second-Hand Store (Using Credit): (Yes, I had a lot of fun with it this week...)
Civil Campaign: A Vorkosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold
Cordelia's Honor: A Vorkgosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch
Grass by Sheri S. Tepper
The Sons of Heaven: A Company Novel by Kage Baker
Diplomatic Immunity: A Vorkogsigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold
Barrayer by Lois McMaster Bujold
Fate's Edge: A Novel of the Edge by Ilona Andrews
In the Garden of Iden: A Company Novel by Kage Baker
Memory: A Vorkosigan Novel by Lois McMaster Bujold
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander
The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller by Jeff Rubin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2012

2012-01-28T16:40:00.000-04:00

Goose Lane Editions launches new website

[Fredericton, NB] In 1994, still in the birthing years of the Internet, Goose Lane Editions, Canada’s oldest independent book publisher, made history by becoming one of the first publishing houses in the world to launch their own website. After 18 years, the site has gone through numerous transformations, changing to suit our evolving culture as technology improved and users became more computer-savvy. Now, we are proud to announce the newest iteration of www.gooselane.com, with new features, new content, and a new promotion to kick off the launch.

In addition to a complete visual redesign, we have added new website elements such as twitter feeds and ongoing blog posts by our many employees. Sample chapters are available for many books, and an ongoing stream of events and notices is added to the main page every day.

To celebrate our launch, we’d like to extend a special offer. For every day the week of January 23, we will be offering one book a day at a special highly-discounted price. Roadsworth, YOU comma Idiot, The Famished Lover, Miller Brittain, The Black Watch, Beaverbrook: A Shattered Legacy, and Ganong: A Sweet History of Chocolate will each take over one day of the week with a drastically discounted price to help celebrate our new look and attitude. All this, in addition to our regular feature of free shipping on orders of $60 or more. To take advantage of these offers, simply create an account with Goose Lane. By doing so, you’ll also ensure that you are regularly updated on upcoming special offers.

We’ve been around a long time, both physically and electronically. Here’s to many more years together.

CONTACT INFO

To obtain review copies, arrange for interviews or to request permission to publish excerpts, contact Corey Redekop at credekop@gooselane.com or (888) 926.8377. High-res book cover and author image files are also available at www.gooselane.com

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 11 and Friday Reads 4th Edition

2012-01-27T11:03:00.000-04:00

I simply forgot to update my blog yesterday. I don't even have an excuse! Today is a snow day for the schools but so far there is very little snow. Casey is sitting in the window watching it fall, though. It is one of her favourite activities. She is in her glory as it is because some nice person dug all of her toys out from under the couch.

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 11

This was another quiet viewing week...

Television

BBC Sherlock Holmes Season 1 - I started this show back in December, but I just kept failing to get back to it. In the end I watched the first episode 3 times. I was supposed to review this in more depth with a couple other people, but not sure what is going on now.

Once Upon a Time - We finally caught-up in this show. I am still really enjoying it! We watched 1 episode one night and the other 2 another. I am looking forward to the new episode on Sunday!

Friday Reads 4th Edition

I finished my other short story collection, so I decided to see what this one was like. I am not even sure where it came from, but it fits in with the Science-Fiction Experience. I have only read the first story so far.

I have owned this book forever! I am happy that I am finally getting around to it. This is for a buddy read with Ana from things mean a lot. I think this is the first time I have ever read any of Kingsolver's non-fiction, but she writes really well.

I cannot remember for sure where I heard of this book, but when it arrived for me at the library the other day I decided to see what it was all about. It is easy to read a bit of it here and there.

Reading this book right now is just silly because I have so much else on the go, but I am actually quite enjoying it. I have been reading it slowly for the first little while.

I did get a chance to read a large chunk of this yesterday. I started it at the beginning of the month, but then it was sort of sat down and not picked up again. It is a really good book but there is only so much time in a day and I read too many books at a time.

I did actually read some of this since my last post, but I STILL haven't finished book 1. I am not sure why I am reading this book so slowly. I think the key is not to keep putting it down because then it takes me forever to get back to it. I am enjoying it, but it is not knocking my socks off... I will hopefully get back to it soon.

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 10

2012-01-25T18:42:00.001-04:00

Debi at still with nothing of importance is doing this project where she had some of her favourite people send her lists of books she should read, movies she should watch, songs she should listen to, etc. Ana, from things mean a lot, sent her a list of songs that I will be working my way through over the coming Wednesdays. The meme itself is hosted at Dolce Bellezza.

Finally, I am back to the list...

The Songs for This Week Are:
The Butcher by Owen Pallet
Rambling Man by Laura Marling
Behold! The Nightmare by The Smashing Pumpkins
Friends as Lovers by Zwan
Waltz #2 by Elliott Smith

'The Butcher' by Owen Pallet
Do you want to know what is really cool about Owen Pallet? He is Canadian and he recorded a CD with the Nova Symphony Orchestra. For those thinking 'um, okay'; I live in Nova Scotia. I had never heard of him or the concert before, but I was intrigued and had to listen to it. As a result the song itself got a bit pushed aside.... This is not my favourite song necessarily, but it is the only video I could find where the music at least is Pallett and the Symphony.

Then, we move on to 'Rambling Man' by Laura Marling. I actually really enjoyed this song and consider it my favourite off the list itself. I am going to explore Laura Marling more.

I had heard The Smashing Pumpkins song before. The only album I ever owned was Adore and this song was on it. I used to like Bill Corgan's voice, but I think I have moved away from it over the years. That is not to say I don't still enjoy his music to a point and I enjoyed 'Behold! The Nightmare' back when I heard it for the first time. Unfortunately I couldn't find a video to share that wasn't terrible, but it was a good song!

Then, there is Zwan. I know a few people that went to see them back when they toured back in the early 2000's. I had forgotten all about them until I got to their song on the list. I did listen to them a bit back when they came out, but they were not a 'go to' band. Still, this is a decent song by them that I hadn't heard in ages and probably never would have thought about without this project. Billy Corgan is a WAY better writer than a musician...

Lastly, we have 'Waltz #2' by Elliott Smith. I did like this song, but between discovering Owen Pallett's Nova Scotia connection, rediscovering The Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, and really enjoying 'Rambling Man' it sort of fell to the wayside this week. You should still listen to it!

Falling Free (Vorkosigan Series) by Lois McMaster Bujold

2012-01-24T16:58:00.000-04:00

Falling Free (Vorkosigan Series) by Lois McMaster Bujold

Completion Date: January 6, 2012
Reason for Reading: Science-Fiction Experience.

Leo Graf was an effective engineer...Safety Regs weren't just the rule book he swore by; he'd helped write them. All that changed on his assignment to the Cay Habitat. Leo was profoundly uneasy with the corporate exploitation of his bright new students till that exploitation turned to something much worse. He hadn't anticipated a situation where the right thing to do was neither save, nor in the rules...

Leo Graf adopted 1000 quaddies now all he had to do was teach them to be free.

I have been hearing about this series from people like Meghan and Fyrefly, and probably other people that I am not thinking about right now, so I knew I was going to have to get around to reading it. In 2011 there was a chance to download the entire series for your e-reader, so I of course jumped on that. (I am not sure if it is still available because I no longer have the link where I found them.) Anyway, I was excited about a new science-fiction series because I used to read lots of science-fiction and have largely moved away from it. I still really enjoy science-fiction, though, and always want to read more each year. I am hoping that this year will be the year.

Falling Free was a good introduction to Bujold's writing. I have never read her before despite her being on my list for ages. If her other books are anything like this one than I am in for some great reading in my, hopefully, not-so-distant future. I all ready am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. It seems like it will be enjoyable based on what other people have been saying. This book is based around Leo Graf who is an engineer for a society that has developed other worlds and is quite comfortable in space. He had been working for a while and was a bit set in his ways, but what he found on this particular job changed his life for the better. In this book we are introduced to the quaddies and witness just what it is like when genetic engineering has gone a bit far.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and think it is a great reading experience.

Vorkosigan Saga:
Dreamweaver’s Dilemma (short story)
Falling Free
Shards of Honor
Barrayar
The Warrior's Apprentice
Mountains of Mourning (novella)
The Vor Game
Cetaganda
Ethan of Athos
Labyrinth (novella)
Borders of Infinity (novella)
Brothers in Arms
Borders of Infinity
Mirror Dance
Memory
Komarr
A Civil Campaign
Winterfair Gifts (novella)
Diplomatic Immunity
Cryoburn

Affinity by Sarah Waters

2012-01-23T00:30:00.001-04:00

Affinity by Sarah Waters

Completion Date: October 29, 2011
Reason for Reading: Favourite Author.

An upper-class woman, recovering from a suicide attempt, visits the women's ward of Millbank prison as part of her rehabilitation. There she meets Selina, an enigmatic spiritualist-and becomes drawn into a twilight world of ghosts and shadows, unruly spirits and unseemly passions, until she is at last driven to concoct a desperate plot to secure Selina's freedom, and her own.

"Unfolds sinuously and ominously...a powerful plot-twister. The book is multidimensional: a naturalistic look at Victorian society; a truly suspenseful tale of terror; and a piece of elegant, thinly veiled erotica." (USA Today)

"Gothic tale, psychological study, puzzle narrative-Sarah Waters' second novel is all of these wrapped into one, served up to superbly suspenseful and hypnotic effect." (The Seattle Times)

Today's post is left over from 2011. I read and reviewed Affinity with Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader. We are finally posting our thoughts on it. You will have to visit her post to see the first part of the review and then you can read the second part below.

Kelly: As long as it is done well, I really like diary-style books. They are never entirely believable because who remembers such exacting details from their day and writes in their diaries like that, but I think it was handled well. It showed enough of the story to see what was going on and that is the important thing. I also enjoyed that it was alternating between two people and their diaries. I think it wouldn’t have been the same story if the reader didn’t get to see both sides.

Marg: There are some diary books that are great to read, but there are others that aren’t! I was relieved to see that this was one of the good ones!

Kelly: What did you think of the relationships between the characters? Did you think they were believable?

Marg: I actually thought the relationships between the characters were really well drawn, especially the difficult relationship between Margaret and her now sister-in-law. If there was one character I did struggle with a little it would be Margaret’s mother, but I have no doubt that she was acting completely within the social and moral restrictions of the time.

Which relationships did you think were written well, or not as the case may be?

Kelly: Yes, the relationship between Margaret and her sister-in-law was very interesting. It was a nice addition to add a bit of sympathy to your view of Margaret. It must be even worse when you have a relationship with someone and not only does it not work out, but they marry your brother so you have to see them all the time. I don’t think you were meant to like Margaret’s mother. And, yes, she was probably very realistic for her time. Another relationship that was interesting was the one between Margaret and her father. He is dead at the time the book is set, but he is mentioned so much he really is another character in the book. I felt bad because it seemed that he encouraged Margaret to be a bit different and then he died before she actually got to live out her dreams. It left her with no real ally in the world. It was just interesting because of the time period and the expectations of the time. And it was another way that I felt badly for Margaret.

Obviously the big relationship in the book was the one between Margaret and Selina. What did you think of that relationship?

Marg: I found it interesting and appreciated the way that the relationship built up over time. I do think that Selina was extremely adept at manipulating the emotions of those around her, not only with Margaret, but also with so many other of the characters (mostly female) that we met through the course of the book. This manipulative ability combined with her evident charisma and somewhat dodgy moral character seems to lend itself to a fascinating character to read about.

Margaret would seem to be someone who would be an easy target for this kind of person though. She is already emotionally fragile, definitely aware of her apartness (for the want of a better word) from most other Victorian ladies of her social standing, and therefore the idea of acceptance from someone, from anyone, is one that she desperately clings to and in the short term at least is empowered by.

How did you read their relationship, both throughout the book and in the context of the end of the book?

****SPOILER ALERT****

Kelly: I have to admit that having read Sarah Waters twice before I was thinking there was something coming. I knew that things were not at all as they seemed, so I was very suspicious of the whole relationship. I just didn’t understand how their friendship would help Selina get out of jail. There were details that were not revealed to us until the end of the book. I was happy about that because then I was legitimately surprised. I love surprises in books. The Night Watch was a different sort of book, but Fingersmith had many surprises in store. I was able to figure out a couple of them, but there were still other twists and turns that caught me unaware. When an author can do that I know they are someone I am meant to be reading.

To get back to your actual question, Selina sort of creeped me out. As the book was told we were able to see her side of things. I always rather looked on people with her ‘abilities’ as con artists, but that is my personal opinion. As a result I read all of her sections with much scepticism. I didn’t entirely know the whole story, but I knew that things were likely a bit biased and things were being left out. I was still surprised by the connections in the story, but that is what I enjoy so much about books by this author.

What did you think?

Marg: I was absolutely sceptical about Serena and her talents all the way through, but as we were getting towards the end of the book I couldn’t quite see how she was doing the things she was doing. The solution made perfect sense though!

Overall,I am glad to have finally read my first Sarah Waters and I am looking forward to reading the next one which I think will probably be Night Watch given that I have owned that one for a couple of years.

Kelly: I hope you enjoy The Night Watch. It is a bit different from this one. I enjoyed reading this one together, though. I look forward to more Sarah Waters in the future and more buddy reads.

Week in Review (3)

2012-01-22T13:37:00.001-04:00

Random Thoughts

One of the things I have been concentrating on lately is reading books off my own piles. That is not to say that I don't want to read books from the library and support them, but I also don't want to overdo it either. I was very surprised when I was adding my two most recent reads to my Reads in 2012 list that they were the first two books I have read from the library so far this year. I also have one on the go. That's it. Now, I have only read 13 books to begin with, but still, I am very happy with those numbers. If I keep that up for the rest of the year my TBR pile will go back to fitting on one bookshelf. Obviously there are some e-books in there which don't really change anything in the physical world, but I wouldn't want to neglect my eReader either.

I have been messing around with pages along the top of my blog and then deciding what to put on my sidebar. It is a work-in-progress at the moment. I am currently working on my Blog Roll. It was insanely outdated and I thought it took up too much space on the sidebar, so I made it a page and I have been working on it for the last couple days. It is no where near complete, but if you are curious you can see it up there with my other pages or by clicking this link. I will probably work on it a bit more today.

Another thing I wanted to share was the pretty button that Alex made me for my blog. I had never had a The Written World button before and I decided now was the perfect time. Isn't it pretty?

Lastly, don't forget that on January 31st you should post about poetry as part of the monthly event Lu and I are hosting to get poetry to be read and blogged about more. You can read the post with all the details by clicking here and I will probably add something about it to either by sidebar or the pages above. It will be a few days before my new template is entirely organized.

Challenge News

I read A Midsummer's Night Dream as the first selection for Reading Shakespeare.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline will count for the Science-Fiction Experience.

Then, I watched Horrible Bosses and Valkyrie for the 2012 Movie Madness Challenge.

Weekly Reads

I am so happy that I finally read this play. I have wanted to for ages! I was a bit worried when I started it because I don't think I was reading it all that well and sort of lost track of what was going on. As a result I restarted it and read it in one-sitting. That worked a lot better. The only distraction was a cat running by occasionally. This is Shakespeare's play that includes fairies and I have seen several movie representations, but this is the first time I have read the actual play. I think it could easily become my favourite by him simply for the elements that are used. I will talk about it in more detail soon. (Personal Copy)

I have heard about this book all over the blogosphere and then I was lucky enough to get a copy for Christmas from the guy. I had other books on the go, but I really just wanted something a bit different and on the shorter side to feel accomplished. I really enjoyed her approach to the written world and the women that make it up. It looked at not just the characters themselves by the women behind them. It makes me think I would like to reread the ones that I have read and read for the first time the ones that I have not. (Personal Copy)

I am getting a bit tired of young adult books, but I was curious about this book in 2011. I was very lucky to receive a copy from Cat at Beyond Books. She's so great! I wanted to read it since it arrived, but my reading was so bad I didn't want to ruin the experience. I ended up picking the book up to just glance at it and I was quickly caught up in the experience. I read book almost all in one-sitting, which really doesn't happen that often any more. I just really enjoyed that this was a book with a female character that has some self-confidence issues, but grows at the book progresses. And, she doesn't need men in order to do so. There is a bit of a love triangle, though. It isn't handled like some of the other books out there, so it isn't as bad as it could be. I am looking forward to the sequel. (Personal Copy)

I was listening to this on audio, but my mp3 player was borrowed. I was enjoying the audio experience, though, and when I switched from listening to it to actually reading it I had a hard time getting my head around it. It worked out in the end, though, and I wound up sitting down with the rest of the book and reading it in one sitting. I loved this book! It was so much fun and suited my tastes to a tee. I think when there was a whole chapter dedicated to the Canadian band Rush, though, I knew it was going to make my best of list for the year. There is so much to gush about this book and I look forward to reviewing it soon with Melissa from Book Nut. (Library Copy)

So, my library has the first two volumes in this series and then stopped buying them. I didn't really feel like I had to own them, so I hadn't decided what I was going to do yet. Then, the library bought volumes 3, 4, and 5. I think they missed volume 6 or I missed adding it to my holds. Anyway, I don't love this series like other people do. I enjoy it, but it doesn't blow my world or anything along those lines. If the library never bought the rest of the series I wouldn't have been devastated. Also, I am thinking I need to get all 6 books at the same time and read them one right after another because it took me a bit to remember what the heck was going on. (Library Copy)

Currently Reading:

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, And Some Other Things by Various Authors

Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

Naked by David Sedaris

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (2)

Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Trilogy, Book 1) - A Group Discussion Part 2

Review: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 9

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 10 and Friday Reads 3rd Edition

New Additions

Borrowed:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 10 and Friday Reads 3rd Edition

2012-01-21T01:18:00.000-04:00

Hi! I hope that even if you are not interested in the actual content of this post you will at least pop by to offer your impressions on my new template. I am very excited about it! It was designed by Alex at Le Canape. I think she did an awesome job and that it really suits me. I have been rearranging things a bit, but if you have any suggestions feel free to chime in.

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 10

This was actually a quiet viewing week...

Movies

Horrible Bosses - You know how everyone has celebrity crushes? Well, the guy is a huge fan of Jennifer Aniston. If she is in a movie I know that I eventually will have to see it. This worked out well when I wanted to see Marley and Me, though. I wanted to eventually see this one anyway, so I was glad that we sat down and watched it the other night. It was funny, but I expected better. It could have been a lot better than it was, though. There was not as much humour and laugh out loud moments as I would have liked.

Valkyrie - This was actually on television the other night. I am not a huge fan of Tom Cruise, but I like movies set during World War 2. It was actually rather good. I wanted to see it when it came out, but forgot about it for a while there. I actually recommend it and would like to watch it again without the commercials.

Friday Reads - 3rd Edition

Hypothetically... I haven't had much time to read this lately and I really need to get back to it.

Also hypothetically...

I am reading this now. My audio book plans have taken a vacation because the guy's mp3 player broke and he borrowed mine. He was at least nice enough to wait until I got this from the library. If I was a big audio book listener it would probably be a big deal, but where it was still relatively new I am good for the time being. The guy can't handle not having music, so I was nice.

I was hoping to at least finish this book tonight, but I went to see a play that my friend was in earlier, then I had to shovel the driveway, and now the guy is coming home early from work because of a heating issue in one of the apartments. It is mainly because we are both a bit concerned about the space heater they are using in the meantime...

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 9

2012-01-18T22:32:00.001-04:00

I was going to resume my music project, but I just haven't had a chance. You see, the guy is addicted to YouTube at the moment. He discovered some videos from the concert Night of the Prom which is held every year. We had never heard of it before. So, that's what I have been listening to for days now. I have to admit I haven't been very interested in my own music as I seek out a quiet place. The videos are really awesome, though, so I am going to share some with you instead of my regular posting. I hope you check them out and enjoy them as much as we have.

Night of the Proms is a series of concerts held yearly in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Poland. Regularly there are also shows in France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. The concerts consist of a combination of pop music and popular classical music (often combined) and various well-known musicians and groups usually participate. (From Wikipedia)

This is the guys favourite of the lot. I have to admit it is pretty good, too.

I think that this video is really fun, so I enjoyed it immensely:

We both really like the Pointer Sisters:

I have to admit I have never really listened to this song that many times before, but I really enjoyed this video:

Another one that we both enjoy:

And, lastly, the reason we started this musical journey in the first place was a conversation about how at least one of the members of Cutting Crew was Canadian:

There are so many more to explore, though. I strongly suggest that you do so and then share your experiences. We have tried many different searches but I am sure there are many that we haven't watched yet. And now, I want to go to one of these concerts...

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

2012-01-17T16:10:00.000-04:00

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Completion Date: January 3, 2012
Reason for Reading: Really enjoyed Hugo by the same author.

From Brian Selznick, the creator of the Caldecott Medal winner THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, comes another breathtaking tour de force.

Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey.

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful--with over 460 pages of original artwork--Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.

A few years ago I was at the local Costco browsing the book selection like always. I have bought many books from them over the years that I probably never would have bought otherwise. On this particular day I found myself picking up The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I was blogging back then, but I didn't recall hearing anything about this book. At first I had another book entirely in mind to buy, but after flipping through the pages I found myself intrigued with the very idea of the book. I had been slowing discovering graphic novels and this seemed like something different. I went on to review the book and discovered there was lots of hype surrounding the book that I had entirely missed out on. I was very happy about that. (On another note, the book I put back was The Road which I eventually bought and really liked, too.)

Hugo was way back in 2007, though. It is not 2012 and last year a new book by Selznick was released. I decided to wait and buy a copy with my Christmas gift cards, though, so I had to wait. I have been seeing it make the blogging rounds, but I only paid the barest attention to what people were saying about it. I wanted to make my own impressions. I did see some people say it was not as good as his earliest book, but that is actually a good thing to see once in a while. If a book is seen as amazing by everyone you go into it with very high expectations and then you can easily be disappointed. So, I suppose you are wondering what I thought of the book? I loved it! I actually think I enjoyed it more than Hugo, but it has been a while since I first read that book. It was such a wonderful book with once again a combination of pictures and words to delight all that read it. I have to admit I was a bit worried it would dull in comparison to Selznick's previous work, but I need not have worried at all.

The books is actually two stories. There is written part which is about a young boy whose mother has just died and he has moved in with his aunt and her family. He is still coming to terms with everything when he starts to find clues to his past amongst his mother's things. He never knew his father, but now he is determined to learn the truth to who he is. Then, there is the story in pictures which takes place 50 years in the past. The entire time you will be working out in your head how the two stories connect. Eventually, though, they do come together and then the mediums converge. It was really a brilliant approach to the story.

I am so happy that once again I was able to love a book Selznick. I cannot recommend this book enough and I cannot wait until I get another chance to enjoy a wonderful book by a very talented author. If you haven't given him a try yet I strongly recommend that you do.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Trilogy, Book 1) - A Group Discussion Part 2

2012-01-16T17:02:00.000-04:00

One of the great masterworks of science fiction, the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, daring ideas, and extensive world-building. The story of our future begins with the history of Foundation and its greatest psychohistorian: Hari Seldon.
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. Only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future—a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save mankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire—both scientists and scholars—and brings them toa bleak planet at the edge of the Galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.

But soon the fledgling Foundation finds itself at the mercy of corrupt warlords rising in the wake of the receding Empire. And mankind’s last best hope is faced with an agonizing choice: submit to the barbarians and live as slaves—or take a stand for freedom and risk total destruction.

This is the second-half, and thus conclusion, of the group read and discussion of Foundation by Isaac Asimov. I have wanted to read Asimov for years, but for whatever reason have never got around to his books before. I didn't even know what his books were about other than some guesses based solely on his titles. Foundation has been on my radar for a while, but this is my first time actually sitting down with the book. I am very glad I tend to join all of Carl's read-alongs because we usually have some similarities in our reading and I tend to read books that have been on my TBR pile for ages. I am looking forward to more from the Foundation Trilogy and more group reads as the year progresses. Now, on to the questions from the second-half of the book.

Salvador Hardin was the first character in the book that we got to spend any significant time with. What are your thoughts on the grande finale of his plotting, scheming and maneuvering to get the Foundation through to the next Seldon crisis?
I am glad that we were able to spend time with Salvador Hardin. When we first meet him he is still relatively young, but then the book jumps ahead a few years and we also get to see him when he is older. Asimov chooses to cut out all the unnecessary years in between, but will fill in details from that period if he thinks they are beneficial to the story. I have to admit that I am a bit of a leery of a system that lets people predict the future. I have never been a big fan of the idea that everything is planned out for us ahead of time. I much rather believe that there really is such thing as free-will. So, I have to admit that I have been second-guessing this book the entire time. I will be curious to see how things play out in the future books.

As to Salvador Hardin, he is doing everything in his power to keep the Foundation on the track that he believes was set out for him by Seldon. The thing is that he does not entirely know what that path is, so he has to guess what the best course of action is to get the results he believes in. So far things seem to be going to plan, but in the process Hardin has to be manipulative, sneaky, and in control of things. On the one hand, you can't help being appalled at the things he does to get the actions he desires. On the other hand, I couldn't help being impressed by how he works the system to get the result that he so desires. I am not sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy. He is just doing what he thinks is right even if it is not necessarily 'right'. Seldon did not lay out a path for them, but they are on a path nonetheless.

What are your thoughts on the way in which control/manipulation to achieve Foundation ends began to shift with The Traders?
In the first part of the book most of the focus on the political leaders and their systems. During the course of the second part of the book, though, we begin to see more of the 'common' folk make an appearance. The chapters that cover The Traders are very different than the ones that cover the leaders and it made for some interesting reading. First of all, those traders had some very cool items to trade. I wouldn't mind having some of them myself. Obviously they go about selling them in a sometimes underhanded manner and they don't always work like they promise they will, but still, interesting items.

This book has a strong religious background. The religious leaders have the control of the people and surpass the power of even though they believe themselves in power. This idea of religious superiority is one of the things that controls the people. Traders seem gifted at using the ideas of the people to gain what they want. It was good reading to watch them manipulate the situations to where they wanted them. The Traders really reminded me of Hans Solo from Star Wars, actually. I can see George Lucas reading these books and taking inspiration from them when he made the movies.

One of the interesting things about Seldon’s psychohistory is how much one man can actually affect it. In Foundation we see characters like Hardin and Mallow as key figures for positioning things just right to work towards Seldon’s later predictions. Do you see this as a contradiction to what Seldon said about psychohistory at the beginning of our story or part of an overall plan? Discuss.
I am very torn about this idea. I have been thinking about this question for a couple days because I am not entirely sure it is answerable. Foundation is still a work in progress, so you really do not know what will play out by the time the trilogy comes to an end. I think that this is the sort of series where you really can't speak to anything without reading all of the books. That being said, you can make predictions of a sort. As I said in the first paragraph, I am still a bit unsure about the whole idea of psychohistory. It all seems a bit too perfect to me, but we will see how it plays out. I am thinking it all part of an overall plan. It is not something that has been revealed yet, though, so a lot can change as the reading continues. What I do know is that when Seldon appears he is always rather cryptic, so it is hard to say if they even are on the path that he predicted. When someone speaks in general terms it is very easy to manipulate what has happened to fit what they are saying. So, they are a path, but who really knows if it is really 'the' path.

Did you see similarities or differences between the way in which Salvador Hardin and Hober Mallow operated and what are your thoughts about this final section of Foundation? Would you have been content as a reader back then with how everything played out?
I enjoyed the final section of the book. Salvador Hardin and Hober Mallow might be different people, but at their core they are the same. They both ultimately have the same goals in mind and will come to those goals anyway that they see fit. They have both been raised with the same ideas of Seldon's predictions and the path that they are on so it is easy to see that they are both after basically the same thing but going about it in slightly different ways. And, because Seldon's path is only hinted at and never expressed entirely, it is easy to interpret the same things differently.

As to the ending, I am glad to know that there is more in store for us and we will hopefully get to see things played out. That being said, if I was living back then I think I would have turned the last page of this book and been baffled. There are many unanswered questions. I suppose it would have made me think about the book trying to figure things out, but at the same time it would almost be disappointing not to see how Seldon's predictions play out.

Has your concept/thoughts of what Seldon was trying to do changed at all since the book began?
um, not really. I have been a bit hesitant in making any real theories about things, though. I am just sitting back and enjoying the ride. I look forward to where we go next.

Any final thoughts on the story as a whole, its structure, what it did or did not accomplish, how it worked for you, etc?
First, the second half of the book acknowledge that women exist. I was very impressed by the couple cameo performances. The book overall didn't entirely lack without mention of women, but at the same time how can you have an entire society without at least mentioning that they exist period? I never understand how books can just leave out half the population.

You can read my first post about this book by clicking here.

Foundation Series:
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation

Week in Review (2)

2012-01-15T23:14:00.001-04:00

Random Thoughts

This was almost a day late, too. I am not really sure where the time is going so far this year but I never seem to have enough of it. I only read 4 books last week, too. It is better than my November and December reading, but it is not what I was hoping for. I am hoping things will get better as the week goes on. I suppose it will depend on whether or not I find some more time. On the plus side the house is rather clean now.

I am going to hopefully have a new template very soon. I am very excited about it. One of the things I plan to do at the same time is switch to a personalized URL. Unfortunately 'The Written World' is rather common, so that URL is not taken. I decided not to change my blog name; so I just need to decide on something close.

Challenge News

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells is a book off the 1001 Books to Read Before you Die list, but it also counts for the Science-Fiction Experience.

I also finished Foundation by Isaac Asimov. I all ready mentioned in last weeks post that it was part of the 1001 Books to Read Before you Die, but it also counts for the Science-Fiction Experience. You can see my thoughts on the first part of the book here.

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.
I watched 16 Blocks, The Invasion, 28 Days, Mercury Rising, and Gothika for The Movie Madness Challenge.

Weekly Reads

This was one of the books I read with my holiday gift cards. I read the first 3 books last year, although book 1 was a reread, and I really enjoyed the different elements that the books possessed. It is very hard to talk about a random book in the midst of a series. I will just have to say that this book made me want to read Moby Dick. There were lots of other bookish connections to make through the course of the book. I enjoyed the artwork and characters, too. I look forward to Volume 5. (Personal Copy)

I discovered H.G. Wells in 2011 and read a couple of his books back then. I am looking forward to exploring more from him in 2012. I decided that just like last year I was going to start the early part of the year with another read by him. It works many ways because it is a Classic, and I always want to read more classics, and because it counts for the Science-Fiction Experience. This is one of Wells more popular novellas, I don't think it is long enough to be considered a novel, and I enjoyed it overall. I think The Invisible Man, my first read by him, will stick with me longer, though. (Personal E-book)

This book is for the read-along that Carl is hosting as part of the Science-Fiction Experience. You can see the first part of my review here and the second part will be posted tomorrow. (Personal E-book)

This is a book that I have been hearing lots about and wanted to experience for myself. I decided it was not something that I wanted to just get from the library, so I was happy to read my own copy and be able to enjoy it for many years to come. This is a buddy read with Amy from My Friend Amy that will we be posting about at some point. (Personal Copy)

Currently Reading:

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things by Various Authors
Naked by David Sedaris
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

Currently Listening To:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Weekly Posts

Week in Review (1)

Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Trilogy, Book 1) - A Group Discussion Part 1
Review: MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche
What Are You Listening Wednesday - Week 8
Tuning in on Thursday - Week 9
Friday Reads - 2nd Edition

New Additions

Bought:

The History of History by Ida Hattemer-Higgins

Little, Big by John Crowley

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

Borrowed:

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

Received:
The One Dish Collection by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen (Random House)

Used Credit to Acquire:
Killbox by Ann Aguirre
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
White Tiger by Kylie Chan
The Pretty Details of So-and-so's Life by Camilla Gibb
Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
The Collected Stories by Carol Shields

Friday Reads - 2nd Edition (A Day Late)

2012-01-14T11:49:00.000-04:00

I am really happy to be back in the reading mood lately, but I just can't seem to find time to do it. I am a bit disappointed because there is so much that I want to be reading and I am going so slowly! January is usually a good reading month for me; so hopefully it starts to pick-up soon.

I have been thinking a lot about my reading lately. In 2012 I would really like to read an essay collection a month, read more short stories, take advantage of the Shakespearean challenge I joined and read more plays, and then of course read more poetry for my own co-hosted event. Then, I would really like to increase my non-fiction reading I used to read a lot more than I do now and my shelves are littered with really interesting looking books I just haven't got around to reading. I also want to cutback on the library. I still plan to use it, but I am going to keep the pile small to avoid temptation. Right now I only have 5 or 6 books out from there and I am going to try and keep it around there. As to reading numbers? I don't really care so much about the grand total, but I want to try and make the majority of my reading from my physical TBR pile. These are the things I have been thinking about for 2012. I am also trying to listen to more audiobooks, but I have mentioned that goal in previous posts.

Moving on. I am currently reading:

I was doing really well reading this book, but I keep getting interrupted and I am starting to slow down. The other night I was reading along and then I had to go shovel the driveway because we had a snowstorm. I was planning to get back to it right afterwards, but the guy came home early from work and my night was rearranged. I am liking it so far, so hopefully I can dedicate some time to it soon. It is for a group read. (Personal e-book)

ah, Shakespeare. I really have a hard time with plays and reading for fun, but I am determined to figure out the big deal surrounding some of the plays I have never read before. I started this last night and I am all ready thinking I missed a bunch. We will see how it goes and whether I can keep up this play a month. (Personal copy)

My second non-fiction read of the year. The first night I read this I managed to get through 100 pages. Since then I have hardly touched it. I had actually hoped to finish it this week so I could start a new non-fiction read, but that would mean actually have time to read it. It is really interesting and I am enjoying it so far. (Library)

I started this book at the very beginning of the year and have only picked it up once since. It's my first Sedaris and I am enjoying it, but I just haven't had time to get back into it. Every time I say I am going to something comes up. I am looking forward to more from this collection and hopefully more from Sedaris later in the year. (Personal Copy)

Another book I never seem to be able to get back around to reading. This is not surprising because short stories are not really my thing, but in this case it is a time issue. I really need more hours in the day! (Personal Copy)

Now, I did listen to this while shovelling snow the other night, so that was one thing that worked out! I am on chapter 12, I believe. I am really enjoying my listening of it and plan to read a physical copy later this year. I know I get distracted and miss things here and there, so I want to make sure I get the whole effect because I am enjoying the read so much.

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 9

2012-01-12T18:40:00.001-04:00

New Fall Shows

I was so excited to watch Once Upon a Time last Sunday and then it wasn't on until partway through because of a football game. I have it to watch, but I just haven't had a chance to since. I am really disappointed because I had waited all day to be able to watch. So, that's it for newish shows and I didn't even watch it.

Older Shows

I have had all sorts of hopes, but I did not get around to any of the older shows I have been watching lately either. I was supposed to have watched Sherlock Holmes and I really want to watch Bones, but it just hasn't happened. Hopefully this week!

Movies

The guy has been a movie mood lately, so these are just the ones I have bothered to pay attention to lately. He has watched more.

16 Blocks - This movies stars Bruce Willis as a washed-up alcoholic cop. I wasn't super thrilled by the movie choice, he always seems to play the same role, but I have to admit it wasn't entirely bad. It is basically about a guy who is a witness and is to testify in court in order to be freed from his own life of crime. Bruce Willis has to take him 16 blocks to testify, but things do not work out as easy as all that...

The Invasion - I wanted to see this movie back when it was in theatres, but then never got around to actually watching it until now. It was a science-fiction movie, so it was perfect for the month of January to coincide with the Science-Fiction Experience. It was also rather good. The guy says it is a new version of The Body Snatchers. I am proud to be able to say I have even heard of that movie before. I haven't seen it, though...

28 Days - I had seen this movie before, but the guy hadn't. We have combined our movie collections, but really do not branch into each others all that much. I always really liked this movie for some reason, probably Viggo Mortenson, and I think he enjoyed it for the most part.

Mercury Rising - Yeah, more Bruce Willis. The guy watched some interesting movies that I would have watched other than this one, but this is when I tuned in. Again, not a terrible movie, but mainly because I thought the little boy in it did a REALLY good job. Bruce basically just played himself...

Gothika - Now, this movie was strange. I didn't really know if I was going to like it, but it was actually not that bad. I seem to like movies and books that are tied in with mental institutions and this was no exception. It was another one that I thought looked interesting when it came out and then never got around to watching it. I think the guy liked it, too.

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 8

2012-01-11T00:37:00.065-04:00

I am a bit late getting this post up, but I had a busier day than expected. Do you know what is a bad part of the day? When you go to pay a bill and it comes up declined. It doesn't matter that you know there is money in your account; it still freaks you out. That has happened to me 3 times now and every time it has just turned out to be the chip malfunctioning on my debit card. I tell you, whoever came up with chip technology needs a good crack in the head. You know that old technology where you swiped your card? My card would last years. With the new fancy technology I can't keep a debit card for more than a few months. And, there are some places that if your chip won't work you are out of luck because they refuse to enter it manually. Can you tell what was a part of my day today? On top of that my cell phone broke. I have the worst luck with cell phones. So, I had that fun stuff to take care of and since it was so annoying I decided to treat myself to a book. Wal-Mart had Cinder by Marissa Meyer and now I have a copy. I am well aware I do not need any more books, but moving on.

My project for the week was to explore Josh Groban's music. As many of you know, Suey and Deanna are HUGE fans. They get really excited about his music and post about it constantly. I have known Suey for a while, but when I saw 'know' I mean I was always aware of how she likes Josh Groban so much and every time I hear something about him I think of her. The thing is I had never really listened to a lot of his music before. I knew who he was and randomly owned his Christmas CD, but that was about as far as it went.

If you asked me to name a Josh Groban song before I would only easily be able to think of 'Believe' because it was on the Polar Express soundtrack. I think it is a great song so I have no idea why I didn't look into other things by him in more detail.

It is a bit of a sad song, but that's okay. That is why there is a next generation; so you can recapture the magic of Christmas through them. This post actually is taking a long time because I find myself watching the videos I am posting instead of typing up a post! Anyway, moving on... I decided that it was about time that I listened to more from Josh Groban and I told Suey that I was going to make it a future project. I decided it was a great way to start out new year, though, because I was listening to his Christmas music during the holidays and now I can follow it with his other music. I have come to the conclusion that I actually rather enjoy Josh's music. I am planning to put together some play lists for my car and background noise in the house. I think I have been missing out by now listening to him before now. And now, for some videos...

While looking for something else, I found this really fun video from the Ellen Show. I loved it and had to share:

One of the few songs by Josh that I always enjoyed, but was never sure which song it was, is 'When You Say You Love Me'. I think it is a very nice song!

Then, on Twitter the other night I was having a Josh related conversation with Suey and she shared this video with me. I also think it is a lot of fun and had to share. I also really should try some Michael Buble music... He is widely famous and I have no idea what he even sings...

All in all, this was a successful week of music listening! Thanks Suey!

MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche

2012-01-10T12:57:00.000-04:00

MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche

Completion Date: January 2, 2012
Reason for Reading: Review Copy Provided by Random House Canada.

When Rachel Bertsche first moves to Chicago, she’s thrilled to finally share a zip code, let alone an apartment, with her boyfriend. But shortly after getting married, Bertsche realizes that her new life is missing one thing: friends. Sure, she has plenty of BFFs—in New York and San Francisco and Boston and Washington, D.C. Still, in her adopted hometown, there’s no one to call at the last minute for girl talk over brunch or a reality-TV marathon over a bottle of wine. Taking matters into her own hands, Bertsche develops a plan: She’ll go on fifty-two friend-dates, one per week for a year, in hopes of meeting her new Best Friend Forever.

In her thought-provoking, uproarious memoir, Bertsche blends the story of her girl-dates (whom she meets everywhere from improv class to friend rental websites) with the latest social research to examine how difficult—and hilariously awkward—it is to make new friends as an adult. In a time when women will happily announce they need a man but are embarrassed to admit they need a BFF, Bertsche uncovers the reality that no matter how great your love life is, you’ve gotta have friends. (From Random House Canada)

This book was meant to be my last read of 2011, but things did not exactly go to plan. Instead it was my first read of 2012. I am hoping that means 2012 will have lots of non-fiction in it because I have been slacking on that lately. I am reading another non-fiction book right now, so maybe! Anyway I read this book because of Lindsey at Reeder Reads. She has had lots of good things to say about it and you can read her review of the book here. I am not so sure I would have picked the book up otherwise. My non-fiction radar tends to be more for historical works and not as many memoirs of sorts.

Anyway, I am very happy I read this book because I could entirely relate to it. In the book Rachel has moved to a different city and has lost her close-knit group of friends in close proximity. To aid in this she sets out to go on 52 friend dates in the hopes she will find a BFF in the mix. I applaud her effort. She goes all out to try and find a social life in an entirely different city. She has her husband, but there are just some things you need a really close friend for. Her husband even entirely supports her effort to go out and seek new friends because he understands that she needs it. She shares statistics about how people that have a large social network tend to live longer. And, women need friendship in a different way than men. I have noticed that one without it being pointed out to me.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book. Rachel has a very fun writing style and is very readable. It was great to read about her experiences and she knew to keep it short when it wasn't all that important to the overall experience. I think many women can appreciate what she is trying to do in this book because there are lots that do not have the social network they desire. It is hard to have, though, unless you are willing to admit you need it. I think this book is worth reading and I am glad that I had the chance to. Plus, she is a blogger and it is always important to support fellow bloggers. I hope if you have a chance you will give this book a read.

If you are interested you can read an excerpt from the book on the Random House web site here. My thanks to Random House Canada for providing my copy of the book.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Trilogy, Book 1) - A Group Discussion Part 1

2012-01-09T23:54:00.000-04:00

One of the great masterworks of science fiction, the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, daring ideas, and extensive world-building. The story of our future begins with the history of Foundation and its greatest psychohistorian: Hari Seldon.

For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. Only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future—a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save mankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire—both scientists and scholars—and brings them toa bleak planet at the edge of the Galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.

But soon the fledgling Foundation finds itself at the mercy of corrupt warlords rising in the wake of the receding Empire. And mankind’s last best hope is faced with an agonizing choice: submit to the barbarians and live as slaves—or take a stand for freedom and risk total destruction.

Today is the first post for the group read of Foundation by Isaac Asimov as part of the Science-Fiction Experience hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings. I am very late, but at least it is still Monday.

For the purpose of satisfying curiosity, is this your first time reading Foundation or have you read it before?
This is my first time reading Foundation. I am terrible with classic fantasy/science-fiction and actually reading it. I always plan to, but it never seems to happen. I am very happy I am actually reading some at the moment. I am especially happy to be reading science-fiction period. I don't read nearly enough of it any more.

For those reading Foundation for the first time, what expectations did you have going in and has it met them or surprised you in any way?
I really had no idea. I had heard of the books, but I had no idea what they were about. I was just expecting science-fiction of some nature. I know that some people have told me they are intimidated by Asimov. For me, he is just one of countless authors that I haven't got around to reading yet. I don't read the back of books because even in their not spoiling I feel they spoil things for me. I like the surprise of finding everything out. Even with book reviews I read just enough to see if I am going to like a book and then see if the author of the post liked it. Then I add it to my wish list.

What are your thoughts about the structure of the novel thus far? (I am referring to the brief glimpses of different parts of the history of the Foundation with big time gaps between events in the novel).
I think it works for the structure of the story. I applaud Asimov for being brave enough to jump ahead instead of working up to the later dates. He could have filled in the times between and had a 3 or 4 times longer book, but instead he chose a style that I am liking much better. I am not a person that enjoys lots of filler in my books. I know this not apparent in my rambling typing style...

What are your initial thoughts on the field of psychohistory?
uh, yeah, I did the whole history thing in university. I love history. I appreciate that dates are important to history. What I hate is math, so the whole idea of psychohistory and the connection to math just seems wrong to me. At the same time, history is so important because we can learn from it for the events of the future. I think I am conflicted about the whole idea and will refuse to say more until the end of the book when everything plays out. (But really, it seems a bit too... easy... to me... I like to believe in free will.)

What, if anything, is holding your interest thus far, what are you enjoying about Foundation?
Well, I read half the book in one sitting because I was behind and really wanted to join in with the reading. I thought it held my interest very well. If it was say Dune it would have been a form of torture (I jest.. mostly), but this had just the right amount of everything to keep my interest. It is not heavy in the action department, but that seems to work well for the book. I enjoy the way Asimov chooses to tell his story and am curious to see how it continues to play out.

What, if anything, are you not enjoying about Foundation?
Well, Mr. Asimov, I think it is wonderful that you have created this whole idea for your book, but obviously procreation still is happening.... And yet, where are the women? Now, I will admit that it wasn't a terrible reading experience for the lack of them, and Carl (and Jeff) claim it will be remedied, but it is like women do not even exist so far. I appreciate that at the time of the writing women were sort of unimportant, but at least mention them so I can bitch about your portrayal. Not including them at all is just wrong... So, I will just mention that.

The other thing that bothered me was Lord Dorwin. I HATE when people do not speak correctly in books and I have to make their words my words. I know it shouldn't bother me, but it always does. I have seen worse in books, but at this moment in time he was annoying me. I was happy to see the end of him. It wasn't that the chapter wasn't funny, but the way he talked just didn't work for me.

Week in Review (1)

2012-01-08T12:26:00.004-04:00

Random Thoughts

I am finding that there are not enough hours in the day to do everything that I would like to do. Take yesterday for example: I listened to Josh Groban for my Listening to on Wednesday Post for this week, I read half of Foundation by Isaac Asimov for the Science-Fiction Read-along hosted by Carl, I read the first two chapters in 1Q84 for an informal group read, I visited blogs, I cleaned, etc. It sounds like a productive day, right? Well, I also had high hopes to read The Unwritten Volume 4, watch the second episode of the first season of the BBC Sherlock Holmes, read an essay, read some more short stories from the book Debi gave me, and listen to Ready Player One. Obviously I think I can squeeze more into one day than is really possible. I am sure today is going to be a repeat in that there is lots I want to do and I probably won't get to most of it.

One thing I did do yesterday was get the urge to see how many of the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die books I have read. The number? 64. When you think about how that is out 1001 that is a bit of a depressing number, but thanks to some actually reading of the classics last year the number is a lot higher than it was when I got the book in the first place. I also know I have read a couple more but I couldn't entirely remember what books I have read by Toni Morrison and Kurt Vonnegut. Also, I counted Foundation even though I am only halfway through it.

My List:

Oroonoko by Aphra Behn (university)
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (university)
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (university)
The Monk by M.G. Lewis (read in 2011)
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (university)
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe (university)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (read in 2011)
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (university)
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (university)
Hard Times by Charles Dickens (university)
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (read in 2011)
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (read in 2011)
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (university, but had read before that, too)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (read in 2010)
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (university, but had read before that, too)
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (read in 2011)
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (read in 2011 and university)
The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells (read in 2011)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (read in 2011)
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells (read in 2011)
The Awakening by Kate Chopin (read in 2011)
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (I *think* university)
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (twice in university)
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (university)
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (read in 2010)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (read in high school)
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Foundation by Isaac Asimov (cheating, but soon to be read in 2012)
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (read in high school. HATED it!)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (read in high school. HATED it!)
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles (university)
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Lover by Marguerite Duras
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (university)
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Engenides
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels
Silk by Allessandro Baricco
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Unless by Carol Shields
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Oops, either I counted wrong or I missed a book... Oh, well! As you can see 2011 did really good things for this list. I also have discovered that I own many of the books that I haven't read. And, thanks to places like Project Gutenberg it is easy to get the classics. I am not making a challenge out of this or anything. I was just curious how I was making out. I have the book so I should actually pay attention to it once in a while.

On another note, are you looking to read a bit of poetry in 2012? I have joined up with Lu from Regular Ruminations to co-host a monthly poetry reading meme of sorts. If you are interested and missed the post you can read all the details by clicking here.

Challenge News

This week I did a bit of reading for the Science-Fiction Experience and managed to read Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold. Ready Player One and Foundation are currently being read and will count for the challenge. In going through 1001 Books to Read Before you Die last night it featured some classic science-fiction that I may work into the next month or so. We will see what happens.

Weekly Reads

I actually started this book in 2011, but with my VERY slow reading did not get a chance to get back to it until this month. It wound up being my first read of 2011 and it was a good way to start the year. If you are looking for a bit of a different memoir/non-fiction then you should check it out. I think that most people can relate to the underlying themes of the book. I could at least. I am glad I read it! A longer review will hopefully happen soon. (Personal Copy)

I picked Hugo up entirely on a whim when it was first released and loved it. I enjoyed the idea of a book that was a mixture of pictures and words and wanted to see what it was about. Then, 2011 came around and Wonderstruck was released. I wanted it right away but made myself wait. What a fantastic start to 2012, folks. I loved this book. It was a wonderful story with fantastic pictures. I think I might have liked it better than his previous work, but it was so long ago I cannot really comment for sure. I will address this more in a review. (Personal Copy)

Then, I moved on to the newest Fables. I am a HUGE Fables fan and one always comes out just before Christmas. I always want to buy it beforehand, but am generally good and wait for the gift cards. This one was wonderful! It was another great start to the year. I really enjoyed how the storyline was basically a tip of the hat to the great comics of old. Yes, folks, this book was a homage to the beginnings. It worked very well in the context of the story and I cannot recommend it enough. I love Fables! (Personal Copy)

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold was my first official read for the science-fiction experience. I have the entire series through a free download offered through the author last year. It is just a big series and I was not so sure I wanted to start yet another big series. I don't listen to myself very well, though, and it does tie in with Carl's challenge, so I gave it a read. I really enjoyed it! I have been hearing good things about Bujold's series for ages, so I really shouldn't be surprised. If you haven't read it yet I do recommend at least this book. I look forward to more space adventures in the series soon. (E-book)

Yes, I am doing mini-reviews on these posts now. I figure if I do them every week I can at least say 'I enjoyed said book' or 'I disliked said book' and then if I never get around to a more formal review there is at least something about the books. Is this a good or bad idea, do you think?

Currently Reading:

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things by Various Authors

Naked by David Sedaris

Currently Listening To:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Weekly Posts

December in Review and Reads in 2011

2011 in Review - The Book Stats

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 7

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 8

Friday Reads - 1st Edition

A New Monthly Event!

New Additons

Bought:

Fables Volume 16: Super Team by Bill Willingham & Company (Gift Card)

The Fox Woman by Kiji Johnson (Gift Card)

The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier (Gift Card)

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (Gift Card)

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Carloine Preston (Gift Card)

The Shadow of Malabron by Thomas Wharton (Gift Card)

The Unwritten Volume 4: Leviathan by Mike Carey (Gift Card)

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (Gift Card)

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Gift Card)

Borrowed:

December's reading got so bad I brought everything back to the library and suspended my holds until next week....

Loaded:

Nothing this Week...

Received:

Nothing this Week...

A New Monthly Event!

2012-01-07T13:49:00.001-04:00

In December I posted about my desire to read more poetry in 2012. I even shared a couple lists that were favourite poems of Lu and Jason. In the comments people expressed an interest in also reading more poetry in 2012 and, after some discussion, a meme was born.

Now that the New Year has come and gone and you’ve started on all your challenges and readalongs, Lu and I would like to jump in and add just one more. Instead of a readalong or a reading challenge, though, this is a blog-along with one goal: blog about poetry once a month.

If you regularly read poetry, if you’re just starting to explore the form, if you want a reason to read more, but most of all, if you want a place to talk, gripe, or wax poetic about poetry, this is your blog-along. If you want a place where you can ask questions about poetry, share your favorite poem, discuss how poetry makes you feel, this is just your kind of event.

Most of all, this is a laid-back way to get the book blogging community posting about poetry. This isn’t necessarily a challenge to read more poetry, though we hope you will! (Check out Serena at Saavy, Verse & Wit’s awesome poetry challenge!) There is only one rule: post about poetry once a month, on the last Tuesday of the month. Then Lu and I will write a wrap-up post the following Friday to keep the discussion going.

Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event!

1) Post about poetry on your blog on the following dates:

January 31st

February 28th

March 27th

April 23rd

May 29th

June 26th

July 31st

August 28th

September 25th

October 30th

November 27th

December 18th

2) Sign up with Mr. Linky! (Please link to a post specifically about this event if possible! You will find the Linky on Lu's Blog here.)

And, if you need any inspiration for what poems to read, be sure and check out the lists I posted back in December!

Friday Reads - 1st Edition

2012-01-06T15:53:00.004-04:00

I always love the start of a new year. I like to pretend that everything is starting fresh. I did finish one book that I started in 2011, but generally I tend to put all those books that have been laying around sort of read back on the shelves and start with new ones. I am finding that I am excited about reading lately. I hope that this continues.

Currently I am Reading:

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold. I chose to read following the list Marg posted on her blog for lack of any other list in my immediate range. I know I had a list of my own when I first downloaded the books onto my eReader, but I have no idea where I saved it. So, this is her Vorkisagan series. I have heard lots of good things about it and last year you were able to download all of the books (for the most part) as free e-books. As you can tell I am doing a bang-up job of NOT starting any new series as it is still January and this is a really long series. It works as part of Carl's Science-Fiction Experience, though.

Then, I bought an mp3 player with Christmas money so that I could start listening to audio books. Unfortunately, my library doesn't have a huge selection that are mp3 compatible and I am not sure if I want to start using places like audible.com. I obviously should have done some research before buying the mp3 player, but live and learn. In the meantime I am listening to Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I am thinking I will be buying a paper copy of this book before the year is out because I all ready want to reread it. The big reason I am slack with audio books is because I tend to get distracted and discover I have no idea what is being said in the book. I am sure I will get better, but I really enjoy this book and want to pick-up on the few things I overlooked listening to it. Also, for lack of a better category I am calling it science-fiction and also counting it for the Science-Fiction Experience.

My bookmark is also sticking out from:
Naked by David Sedaris - For the Essay Reading Challenge
Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things featuring stories by Various Authors - A Christmas gift from Debi.

What are you currently reading?

Books in my (hopefully) not so distant future:

I am considering:
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Possible group read with Care and Maree)
Q's Legacy by Helene Hanff (Care lent me a copy)
Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier (Buddy read with Melissa)
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold (For the Science-Fiction Experience)
Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb (For the Science-Fiction Experience)
Foundation by Isaac Asimov (For the Science-Fiction Experience Read-Along)

And who knows what else...

Lastly, even though the Science-Fiction Experience isn't really a challenge, I still should post and say that I am signing up!

The Science-Fiction Experience

January 1, 2012 - February 29, 2012

Hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.

This is not a challenge, so there are no rules. The point is to just have fun.

My List:

1. Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold (Completed January 6, 2012)
2. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (Completed January 8, 2012)
3. Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Series, Book 1) (Completed January 12, 2012) (review - Part 1)

Also, I found another challenge and I am only joining in because if you want, you only have to read one book.

The Roald Dahl Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Alison.

What She Says:

Runs from January 01 2012 to December 31 2012. Jump in whenever you can.
You don’t have to have a blog to participate.
Read as many or as few books as you’d like. [I'm shooting for all 15 in my collection]
Physical books, ebooks, audiobooks are all welcome.
His children’s books are the primary focus of this challenge. You are welcome to read a few of his adult books to count towards the challenge.
For bonus fun please feel free to watch the movie adaptations in addition to the books.

My Thoughts: My library has pretty much everything by him. I have read a bunch, but it has been years, so I am excited to be able to go back and read even 1 or 2 that I haven't picked up since I was young. The only one I have even read in blogging days was The Witches.

My List:
1.

***Edited to add: Casey****

Not just the guy gets excited about new tools... For Casey, the box is the best thing ever!

Casey discovers a balloon.

Speaking of Casey, she is hanging from the curtains at the moment, so that's it for the pictures for now!

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 8

2012-01-05T00:27:00.002-04:00

New Fall Shows

I haven't really watched any of them but I had to do a bit of a happy dance about Once Upon a Time returning this weekend! I am really excited because I have seen tid-bits here and there about what to expect in the coming episodes.

Older Shows

Bones - I started season 4. I love this show. It is really nerdy goodness. I wanted to watch more but we had a bit of technological problems and it sort of killed most of our watching recently. I am hoping to get back to it this week, though.

Big Bang Theory - I watched a bit of the 4th season of this show, too. It really is the funniest show on television, but I am a bit unreliable about actually watching it. It was also on as a marathon around Christmas so we saw lots of the older episodes. I love Sheldon I must admit. But really, the whole cast works really well together.

Movies

I call them movies, but really they are concerts. In the last little bit we have watched an Alice Cooper concert, a John Lennon tribute concert, and a Rush concert. We always get a few for Christmas. They were all really good. The John Lennon concert annoyed me because apparently John only had one child. It is really unfortunate that everything is centred around his one wife and nothing else seems to matter. Apparently he also didn't belong to this very famous band because the pictures skipped from before to happy days with his wife. That time in-between just didn't happen. Otherwise it was enjoyable! The Alice Cooper is entertaining just because it is Alice Cooper... And the Rush was my favourite, but it is sad that Geddy Lee can't sing the same way any more.

Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back: I educated the guy on these movies, but we never finished. I can't believe he had never seen them before! We only made it through part of this movie before, so we finally watched the rest so we can move on to my favourite...

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 7

2012-01-04T01:28:00.000-04:00

I was all prepared to return this week with a post about the music Ana chose for Debi's Happiness Project and I am borrowing, but I am having some sound issues. Until the guy comes home and hits a few things; I am going to have to skip another week.

In the meantime, I started an audiobook. I bought an mp3 player with my Christmas money so I could add some variety to my reading. Tonight I finally loaded a book onto it and spent almost an hour with it. The book I chose? Ready Player One by Ernest Clint and narrated by Wil Wheaton. I have heard lots of good things about this audiobook, so I decided it was a good place to start.

Now, ladies and gents, I need some recommendations. I know people post about them and such, but since I never really listened to audiobooks I did not keep the best notes. If you could offer some suggestions, that would be great!

Next week I will resume talking about music...

2011 in Review - The Book Stats

2012-01-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

I don't keep track of a lot of stats, but I did include a few in each of my wrap-up posts for the months of 2011. They were what I was curious about. I could do more, but I am a bit behind and am going to go the 'easier' route. I might keep track of a bit more in 2012.

New To Me Authors

1. Jennifer Estep (Touch of Frost)
2. Drew Magary (The Postmortal)
3. L.J. Smith (The Secret Circle: Book 1 - The Initiation)
4. Tanya Lee Stone (The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie)
5. Laurel Ann Nattress (editor: Jane Austen Made Me Do It)
6. H.P. Lovecraft (The Call of Cthulhu)
7. Amy Plum (Die for Me)
8. Tina Fey (Bossypants)
9. Little Princes (Conor Grennan)
10. Bram Stoker (Dracula)
11. Helen Dunmore (A Spell of Winter)
12. Lisa Habel (Dearly, Departed)
13. Mignon Fogarty (Grammar Girl's: 101 Misused Words You'll Never Confuse Again)
14. E. Lockhart (The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks)
15. Salman Rushdie (Luka and the Fire of Life)
16. Kathleen Winter (Annabel)
17. Erin Morgenstern (The Night Circus)
18. Hillary Jordan (When She Woke)
19. S.G. Browne (Breathers)
20. Matthew Gregory Lewis (The Monk)
21. Adam Gidwitz (A Tale Dark & Grimm)
22. Mark Lawrence (Prince of Thorns)
23. Frances Hardinge (Fly By Night)
24. Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
25. Kathryn Stockett (The Help)
26. Katherine Webb (The Legacy)
27. Kate Chopin (The Awakening)
28. Vera Brosgol (Anya's Ghost)
29. Pam Jenoff (The Things we Cherished)
30. Sandra Brown (A Secret Splendour)
31. Caitlin Kittredge (The Iron Throne)
32. Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children)
33. Agnes Humbert (Resistance)
34. Ellen Feldman (Next to Love)
35. Lisa Searin (Magic Lost, Trouble Found)
36. Matthew Norman (Domestic Violets)
37. Helene Hanff (84, Charing Cross Road)
38. Simon van Booy (Everything Beautiful Began After)
39. Mary Robinette Kowal (Shades of Milk and Honey)
40. Amor Towles (Rules of Civility)
41. Justine Picarde (Daphne)
42. Juliet Grey (Becoming Marie Antoinette)
43. George R.R. Martin (A Game of Thrones)
44. Mark Dunn (Ella Minnow Pea)
45. Moira Young (Blood Red Road)
46. Randy Russell (Dead Rules)
47. Joann Sfar & Emmanuel Guilbert (The Professor's Daughter)
48. Steven Millhauser (Enchanted Night)
49. Karen Kincy (Other)
50. Melanie Benjamin (The Autobiography of Tom Thumb)
51. Franny Billingsley (Chime)
52. Joe, Alina, Vicki, and Valerie Darger (Love Times Three)
53. Mitchell Zuckoff (Lost in Shangri-La)
54. N. John Hall (Correspondence)
55. Pete Hautman (The Big Crunch)
56. Charlotte Perkins Gilman (The Yellow Wallpaper)
57. Paolo Bacigalupi (Ship Breaker)
58. Jo Walton (Among Others)
59. Kiersten White (Paranormalcy)
60. Laura Miller (The Magician's Book)
61. Kate Lord Brown (The Beauty Chorus)
62. Julie Kagawa (Winter's Passage)
63. N.K. Jeminsin (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms)
64. Jen Sookfong Lee (Shelter)
65. Mary Robinette Kowal (First Flight)
66. Rachel Swirsky (Eros, Philia, Agape)
67. Charles Stross (Overtime)
68. Jackson Pearce (Sisters Red)
69. Katherine Langrish (The Shadow Hunt)
70. Deborah Harkness (A Discovery of Witches)
71. Doug TenNapel (Ghostopolis)
72. Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth)
73. Barry Deutsch (Hereville: How Mika Got Her Sword)
74. Steve Kluger (My Most Excellent Year)
75. Beth Revis (Across the Universe)
76. Terry Morre (The Complete Strangers in Paradise)
77. Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood)
78. Joss Whedon (Serenity: Those Left Behind and Float Out)
79. Susan Hill (The Man in the Picture)
80. Felicia Day (The Guild)
81. Elizabeth Gaskell (North and South)
82. Giles Whittell (Spitfire Women of World War II)
83. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet, and The Sign of Four)
84. Jean Webster (Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy)
85. H.G. Wells (The Invisible Man)
86. Chris Priestley (Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror)
87. Sam Wasson (Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman)
88. Gail Z. Martin (The Sworn)
89. Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre)
90.Graham Moore (The Sherlockian)
91. Erin Bow (Plain Kate)
THOUGHTS: Wow, I read way too many new-to-me authors... It is no wonder my TBR pile is never manageable. I am thinking in 2012 I have to try and make more of an effort to revisit old authors.

Series Talk

Mythos Academy Series - 1/2
The Secret Circle - 1/3
The Last Dragonslayer - 1/2
Skulduggery Pleasant Series - 6/6 Caught up!
Revenants Series - 1/1 Caught up!
Dearly, Departed Series - 1/1 Caught up!
Lord of the Rings - 2/3 - (Reread)
The Stormlight Archives - 1/1 - Caught up!
Sevenwaters Series - 2/5
Wicked Lovely Series - 4/5
The Broken Empire Trilogy - 1/1 - Caught up!
Fly By Night Series - 1/2
The Dresden Files Series - 1/I am not even sure...
Iron Codex Series - 1/1 - Caught up!
Sweet Tooth Series - 3/3 - Caught up!
Thursday Next Series - 3/6
Raine Benares Series - 1/5
Cato Series - 1/11
Alexia Tarabotti Series - 2/4
Nightschool Series - 3/4
Avalon High Series - 3/3 - FINISHED!
King Amir Series - 2/3
Gathering of Faerie Series - 2/2 - FINISHED!
Little Blue Envelopes Series - 2/2 - FINISHED!
The Unwritten Series - 3/3 - Caught up!
Marie Antoinette Trilogy - 1/1 - Caught up!
Farseer Trilogy: 1/3
Song of Fire and Ice Series: 1/5
Outlander Series: 1 out of not sure...
Blood Red Road Trilogy: 1/1 - CAUGHT UP!
Jack of Fables Series : 9/9 - FINISHED!
Other Series: 1/2
Sianim Series: 3/4
Women of the Otherworld Series: 12/12 - CAUGHT UP!
DarkGlass Mountain Trilogy: 3/3 - FINISHED!
The Tawny Man Trilogy: 3/3 - FINISHED!
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants Series: 5/5 - FINISHED!
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making Series? - 1/1 - CAUGHT UP!
Newford Series: 11/24 - Approximately
The Hunchback Assignments: 3/3 - CAUGHT UP!
Paranormalcy Trilogy: 1/1 - CAUGHT UP!
Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy: 3/3 - FINISHED!
The Orphan's Tale duology: 2/2 - FINISHED!
Chaos Walking Trilogy: 3/3 - FINISHED!
Princess of the Midnight Ball Series: 2/2 - CAUGHT UP! (Anyone know what this really called?)
Fables Series: 15/15 - CAUGHT UP!
A Discovery of Witches Trilogy: 1/1 - CAUGHT UP!
Chobits Series: 7/8 - Only one more to go!
Serenity Series: 3/3 - CAUGHT UP!
Across the Universe Trilogy: 1/1 CAUGHT UP!
Mercedes Thompson Series: 6/6 CAUGHT UP!
One Piece Series: 4/54
Essex County Trilogy: 3/3 FINISHED!
Horatio Lyle Series: 2/4
The Worlds of Chrestomanci Series: 1/5
In Death Series: 12/32
The Guild Series: 4/4 COMPLETED!
Regency Draculia Series: 1/3
Scott Pilgrim Series: 2/6
"New" Bone Series: 1/1 CAUGHT UP!
Sherlock Holmes Series: 3/9
Daddy-Long Legs Series: 2/2 COMPLETED!
Bone Series: 11/11 CAUGHT UP! (Includes Rose and Tall Tales)
The Fallen Kings Cycle: 1/1 CAUGHT UP!
Maisie Dobbs Series: 8/8 CAUGHT UP!
THOUGHTS: I have way too many series and trilogies on the go. I was happy to finish a few in 2011, but then I started a whole bunch more. Some of the series I say I am caught up in also have books out now, but I just chose to ignore that fact for the moment.

The Source

Library - 84
Personal - 85
E-Reader - 40
Borrowed From Friend - 25
THOUGHTS: One of the plans I had for 2011 was to read more books that I own. I wish I had done a bit better with that because I obviously have way too many unread books at the moment. I still think I read more books that I own this year than the last couple, so it wasn't terrible. In 2012 I would like to try and read more books that I own and less that I don't because my TBR pile could stand to get a bit smaller.

Best of 2011 Reviews

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton - Not Reviewed

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (review)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - Not Reviewed

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin (review)

The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown (review)

Little Princes by Conor Grennan - Not Reviewed

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (review)

Resistance: A Woman's Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert (review)

Far and Away: A Prize Everytime by Neil Peart (review)

Spitfire Women of World War II by Giles Whittell (review)

Skulduggery Pleasant: Death Bringer by Derek Landy - Not Reviewed

Spellbound by Kelley Armstrong (review)

Empire of Ruins by Arthur Slade (review)

Fables Volume 15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham (review)

River Marked by Patricia Briggs (review)

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (review)

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (review)

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence - Not Reviewed

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (review)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (review)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (review)

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (review)

The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin (review)

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay - Not Reviewed

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (review)

The Unwritten Series by Mike Carey (review)

The Infinity Gate by Sara Douglass (review)

Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (review)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (reread review)

The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Nieffenegger (reread review)

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (review)

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (review)

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (review)

Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint (review)

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (review)

I might try and sneak some 2011 reviews into 2012 just to have something to link back to. We will see what happens!

December in Review and Reads in 2011

2012-01-02T13:11:00.001-04:00

Howdy folks! I hope you are enjoying the beginning of a New Year! I have been a bit busy lately, but I am hoping things will start to calm down soon.

December in Review

What I Learned

I just do not read come the end of the year. I suppose there is just too much else going on. December was just terrible only reading 2 books. I am really hoping 2012 goes better and I actually read a few things. My reading slowed down and my TBR pile didn't get any smaller. With the books that the cc bought me for Christmas and the books I bought with my gift cards, I had a huge overflow and had to break down and get another bookcase. When I read I put the books I want to keep in my mother's basement, but I just haven't been going through them fast enough to keep the bookcase manageable. My dream is to get it back onto one bookcase and then put my favourite books and series on the other bookcase.

New to Me Authors

Jennifer Estep (Touch of Frost)

Drew Magary (The Postmortal)

Series Talk

Mythos Academy Series - 1/2

The Source

Personal - 1

E-Reader - 1

What I Read

238. Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy, Book 1) by Jennifer Estep
239. The Postmortal by Drew Magary

Books Added to the TBR Pile

I did really badly with keeping track this month... I didn't really do my Week in Review posts because I had nothing to talk about.

These are the books I read in 2011. I will do a bit of a stats post tomorrow if anyone is interested. I will also link to the reviews of my Best Reads of 2011. I did the post in a hurry and sort of forgot!

Reads in 2011

JANUARY
1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Completed January 1, 2011)
2. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Completed January 1, 2011)
3. The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Completed January 3, 2011)
4. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster (Completed January 4, 2011)
5. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger (Completed January 4, 2011)
6. Bone: Tall Tales by Jeff Smith & Tom Sniegoski (Completed January 4, 2011)
7. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells (Completed January 5, 2011) - Sci-Fi Experience
8. Fables - Volume 14: Witches by Bill Willingham & company (Completed January 7, 2011)
9. Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley (Completed January 8, 2011)
10. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson (Completed January 9, 2011)
11. The Fallen Kings Cycle Book 1: The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin (Completed January 10, 2011)
12. Muppet Robin Hood by Tim Beedle & Company (Completed January 11, 2011)
13. Masques by Patricia Briggs (Sianim Series, Book 1) (Completed January 12, 2011)
14. Wolfsbane by Patricia Briggs (Sianim Series, Book 2) (Completed January 14, 2011)
15. Dear Enemy by Jean Webster (Completed January 17, 2011)
16. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Completed January 20, 2011)
17. Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakova (Completed January 21, 2011)
18. Muppet Peter Pan by Grace Randolph & Company (Completed January 21, 2011)
19. Muppet King Arthur by Paul Benjamin, Patrick Storck, & Company (Completed January 21, 2011)
20. The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson by Roger Landridge & Company (Completed January 21, 2011)
21. The Muppet Show Comic Book: Family Reunion by Roger Langridge (Completed January 22, 2011)
22. A Lesson In Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs Series, Book 8) (Competed January 23, 2011)
23. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (Completed January 26, 2011)
24. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death Series, Book 10) (Completed January 28, 2011)
25. Plain Kate by Erin Bow (Completed January 29, 2011)
26. Chobits Volume 5 by Clamp (Completed January 29, 2011)

FEBRUARY
27. Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death Series, Book 11) (Completed January 31, 2011)
28. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (Completed February 5, 2011)
29. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, and Will Conrad (Completed February 9, 2011)
30. Serenity: Float Out by Patton Oswalt, Patric Reynolds, and Joss Whedon (Completed February 9, 2011)
31. The Muppet Show Comic Book: On the Road by Roger Landridge & Company (Completed February 9, 2011)
32. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill (Completed February 10, 2011)
33. The Guild Issue 1 by Felicia Day & Jim Rugg (Completed February 10, 2011)
34. The Guild Issue 2 by Felicia Day & Jim Rugg (Completed February 10, 2011)
35. The Guild Issue 3 by Felicia Day & Jim Rugg (Completed February 10, 2011)
36. The Guild: Vork by Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis, & Company (Completed Feburary 10, 2011)
37. Muppet Snow White by Jesse Blaze Snider, Patrick Storck, & Company (Completed February 10, 2011)
38. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Completed February 10, 2011)
39. A Fine and Terrible Place by Peter S. Beagle (Completed February 10, 2011)
40. Jack of Fables Volume 8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham & Company (Completed February 11, 2011)
41. Nightlight: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon (Completed February 12, 2011)
42. Daughter of the Forest (Book One of The Sevenwaters Trilogy) by Juliet Marillier (Completed January 15, 2011)
43. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (Completed January 15, 2011)
44. The Vampire Voss by Colleen Gleason (Regency Draculia, Book 1) (Completed January 19, 2011)
45. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Volume 2 by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Completed January 19, 2011)
46. Bone: Quest for the Spark by Jeff Smith and Tom Sniegoski (Book 1) (Completed February 23, 2011)
47. Chobits Volume 6 by Clamp (Completed February 23, 2011)
48. Spitfire Women of World War II by Giles Whittell (Completed February 26, 2011)
49. The Muppet Show Comic Book: Muppet Mash by Roger Landridge & Company (Completed February 28, 2011)

MARCH
50. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (Completed March 4, 2011)
51. Supernatural: Beginning's End - Volume 1 by Andrew Dabb, Daniel Loflin, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
52. Supernatural: Beginning's End - Volume 2 by Andrew Dabb, Daniel Loflin, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
53. Supernatural: Beginning's End - Volume 3 by Andrew Dabb, Daniel Loflin, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
54. Supernatural: Beginning's End - Volume 4 by Andrew Dabb, Daniel Loflin, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
55. Supernatural: Beginning's End - Volume 5 by Andrew Dabb, Daniel Loflin, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
56. Supernatural: Beginning's End - Voume 6 by Andrew Dabb, Daniel Loflin, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
57. Rock 'n' Roll Comics: The Runaways by Spike Steffenhagen, Jay Allen Sanford, & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
58. Dr. Horrible and Other Horrible Stories by Zack Whedon & Company (Completed March 5, 2011)
59. Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (Completed March 6, 2011)
60. Sweet Tooth - Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods by Jeff Lemire (Completed March 9, 2011)
61. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch (Completed March 9, 2011)
62. My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (Completed March 11, 2011)
63. Across the Universe (Across the Universe, Book 1) by Beth Revis (Completed March 11, 2011)
64. River Marked by Patricia Briggs (Mercedes Thompson Series, Book 6 (Completed March 12, 2011)
65. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (Completed March 14, 2011)
66. Once Piece Volume 4 - The Black Cat Pirates by Eiichiro Oda (Completed March 15, 2011)
67. The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 1 by Terry Moore (Completed March 15, 2011)
68. True Blood Volume 1 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina (Completed March 20, 2011)
69. True Blood Volume 2 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina (Completed March 20, 2011)
70. True Blood Volume 3 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina (Completed March 20, 2011)
71. True Blood Volume 4 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina (Completed March 20, 2011)
72. True Blood Volume 5 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina (Completed March 20, 2011)
73. True Blood Volume 6 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina (Completed March 20, 2011)
74. Collected Essex County by Jeff Lemire (Completed March 21, 2011)
75. The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle by Catherine Webb (Book 2) (Completed March 23, 2011)
76. The Worlds of Chrestomanci: Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones (Book 1) (Completed March 28, 2011)
77. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan (Completed March 29, 2011)
78. By the Time You Read This, I'll be Dead by Julie Anne Peters (Completed March 30, 2011)

APRIL
79. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (Completed April 3, 2011)
80. The Shadow Hunt by Katherine Langrish (Completed April 6, 2011)
81. Terribly Twisted Tales Edited by Jean Rabe & Martin H. Greenberg (Completed April 6, 2011)
82. Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint (Completed April 11, 2011)
83. L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Eric Shanower & Skottie Young (Completed April 12, 2011)
84. Fables Volume 15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham & Company (Completed April 15, 2011)
85. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (Completed April 16, 2011)
86. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (Completed April 21, 2011)
87. Far and Away: A Prize Every Time by Neil Peart (Completed April 23, 2011)
88. Ursula by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba (Completed April 23, 2011)
89. Chobits Volume 7 by Clamp (Completed April 23, 2011)
90. Serenity Volume 2: Better Days by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, & Will Conrad (Completed April 23, 2011)
91. Serenity Volume 3: The Shepherd's Tale by Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon, & Chris Samnee (Completed April 23, 2011)
92. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones (Completed April 25, 2011)
93. Trickster - Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection edited by Matt Dembicki (Completed April 25, 2011)
94. Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel (Completed April 26, 2011)

MAY
95. Muse and Reverie by Charles de Lint (Completed May 2, 2011)
96. Nightschool: The Weirn Books Volume 2 by Svetlana Chmakova (Completed May 2, 2011)
97. Widdershins by Charles de Lint (Completed May 5, 2011)
98. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett (Completed May 7, 2011)
99. Among Others by Jo Walton (Completed May 7, 2011)
100. Empire of Ruins: The Hunchback Assignments III by Arthur Slade (Completed May 8, 2011)
101. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (Paranormalcy, Book 1) (Completed May 9, 2011)
102. Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton (Completed May 10, 2011)
103. The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy, Book 3) by Carrie Ryan (Completed May 11, 2011)
104. The Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia by Laura Miller (Completed May 12, 2011)
105. The Return of the Shadow: The History of the Lord of the Rings - Part 1 by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christoper Tolkien (Completed May 13, 2011)
106. The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown (Completed May 14, 2011)
107. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Completed May 15, 2011)
108. Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale by Carolyn Turgeon (Completed May 18, 2011)
109. The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente (Completed May 20, 2011)
110. Chaos Walking - Book Three: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (Completed May 23, 2011)
111. The New World by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking Prequel) by Patrick Ness (Completed May 23, 2011)
112. Hare Moon by Carrie Ryan (Completed May 24, 2011)
113. Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa (Completed May 24, 2011)
114. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (Completed May 25, 2011)
115. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Completed May 25, 2011)
116. Dead Time by Christy Ann Conlin (Completed May 26, 2011)
117. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms: Book One of the Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin (Completed May 26, 2011)
118. Shelter by Jen Sookfong Lee (Completed May 26, 2011)
119. Promises to Keep by Charles de Lint (Completed May 27, 2011)
120. First Flight by Mary Robinette Kowal (Completed May 30, 2011)
121. Eros, Philia, Agape by Rachel Swirsky (Completed May 30, 2011)
122. Overtime by Charles Stross (Completed May 31, 2011)
123. A Memory of Wind by Rachel Swirsky (Completed May 31, 2011)

JUNE
124. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Completed June 3, 2011)
125. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (Completed June 4, 2011)
126. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente (Completed June 7, 2011)
127. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares (Completed June 8, 2011)
128. Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man Trilogy, Book 3) (Completed June 19, 2011)
129. The Very Best of Charles de Lint (Completed June 19, 2011)
130. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (Completed June 23, 2011)
131. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (Completed June 28, 2011)

JULY
132. Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, Book 1) by Robin Hobb (Completed July 3, 2011)
133. Cut by Robin Hobb (Completed July 3, 2011)
134. A Touch of Lavender by Robin Hobb (Completed July 3, 2011)
135. Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue (Completed July 8, 2011)
136. Game of Thrones (Book 1 of A Song of Ice and Fire Series) by George R.R. Martin (Completed July 8, 2011)
137. Outlander (Outlander Series, Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon (Completed July 10, 2011)
138. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (Completed July 10, 2011)
139. Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn (Completed July 10, 2011)
140. Blood Red Road by Moira Young (Completed July 11, 2011)
141. Dead Rules by Randy Russell (Completed July 12, 2011)
142. The Professor's Daughter by Joann Sfar & Emmanuel Guilbert (Completed July 14, 2011)
143. Enchanted Night by Steven Millhauser (Completed July 15, 2011)
144. Jack of Fables - Volume 9: The End by Bill Willingham and Company (Completed July 17, 2011)
145. Other by Karen Kincy (Completed July 18, 2011)
146. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin (Completed July 19, 2011)
147. Steal the Dragon by Patricia Briggs (Sianim Series, Book 3) (Completed July 19, 2011)
148. Chime by Franny Billingsley (Completed July 20, 2011)
149. Love Times Three: Our True Story of a Polygamous Marriage by Joe, Alina, Vicki, and Valerie Darger (Completed July 21, 2011)
150. Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff (Completed July 24, 2011)
151. Fables - Volume 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham & Company (Completed July 25, 2011)
152. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (Completed July 25, 2011)
153. Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld Series, Book 12) by Kelley Armstrong (Completed July 25, 2011)
154. Correspondence: An Adventure in Letters by N. John Hall (Completed July 28, 2011)
155. The Infinity Gate (DarkGlass Mountain Trilogy, Book 3) by Sara Douglass (Completed July 28, 2011)
156. The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman (Completed July 30, 2011)
157. There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff (Completed July 30, 2011)

AUGUST
158. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Completed August 1, 2011)
159. The Legacy by Katherine Webb (Completed August 3, 2011)
160. The Awakening by Kate Chopin (Completed August 3, 2011)
161. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol (Completed August 4, 2011)
162. The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff (Completed August 4, 2011)
163. A Secret Splendor by Sandra Brown (Completed August 5, 2011)
164. The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex, Book 1) by Caitlin Kittredge (Completed August 6, 2011)
165. Sweet Tooth - Volume 2: In Captivity by Jeff Lemire (Completed August 6, 2011)
166. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (Completed August 6, 2011)
167. Resistence: A Woman's Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert (Completed August 9, 2011)
168. The Well of Lost Plots (Thursday Next Series, Book 3) by Jasper Fforde (Completed August 9, 2011)
169. Next to Love by Ellen Feldman (Completed August 11, 2011)
170. Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Searin (Raine Benares, Book 1) (Completed August 15, 2011)
171. Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow (Cato Series, Book 1) (Completed August 16, 2011)
172. Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman (Completed August 16, 2011)
173. Changeless: An Alexia Tarabotti Novel (Book 2) by Gail Carriger (Completed August 17, 2011)
174. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (Completed August 18, 2011)
175. Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 3 by Svetlana Chmakova (Completed August 19, 2011)
176. Avalon High: Coronation - Volume 3: Hunter's Moon by Meg Cabot (Completed August 19, 2011)
177. The King's Daughters (King Amir Series, Book 2) by Nathalie Mallet (Completed August 20, 2011)
178. Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle (Completed August 21, 2011)
179. Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy (Completed August 22, 2011)
180. A Gathering of Faerie - Book Two: Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater (Completed August 22, 2011)
181. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson (Little Blue Envelopes, Book 2) (Completed August 22, 2011)
182. She Loves You, She Loves You Not by Julie Anne Peters (Completed August 25, 2011)
183. Sweet Tooth - Volume 3: Animal Armies by Jeff Lemire (Completed August 26, 2011)
184. The Unwritten - Volume 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company (Completed August 26, 2011)
185. The Unwritten - Volume 2: Inside Man by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company (Completed August 26, 2011)
186. The Unwritten - Volume 3: Dead Man's Knock by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company (Completed August 26, 2011)
187. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (Completed August 26, 2011)
188. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Completed August 27, 2011)
189. Daphne by Justine Picardie (Completed August 29, 2011)
190. Becoming Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette Trilogy, Book 1) by Juliet Grey (Completed August 30, 2011)

SEPTEMBER
191. The Way of Kings: The Stormlight Archive - Book 1 by Brandon Sanderson (Completed September 1, 2011)
192. Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller (Completed September 3, 2011)
193. The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay (Completed September 3, 2011)
194. Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie (Completed September 5, 2011)
195. Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters Series, Book 2) by Juliet Marillier (Completed September 5, 2011)
196. Annabel by Kathleen Winter (Completed September 8, 2011)
197. Bone - Volume 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith (Completed September 8, 2011)
198. Bone - Volume 2: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith (Completed September 9, 2011)
199. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Completed September 10, 2011)
200. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (Completed September 14, 2011)
201. Breathers by S.G. Browne (Completed September 15, 2011)
202. Radiant Shadows: A Wicked Lovely Book (Book 4) by Melissa Marr (Completed September 15, 2011)
203. The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis (Completed September 16, 2011)
204. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff (Completed September 17, 2011)
205. A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (Completed September 18, 2011)
206. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Completed September 21, 2011)
207. The Lord of the Rings: Volume 1 by J.R.R. Tolkien (Completed September 22, 2011)
208. The Poison Eaters: And Other Stories by Holly Black (Completed September 22, 2011)
209. Prince of Thrones: Book One of The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence (Completed September 23, 2011)
210. Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge (Completed September 25, 2011)
211. The Dresden Files - Volume 1: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Completed September 29, 2011)
212. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Completed September 29, 2011)

OCTOBER
213. Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham (Completed October 2, 2011)
214. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Completed October 6, 2011)
215. The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll's History and her Impact on Us by Tanya Lee Stone (Completed October 7, 2011)
216. Death Bringer (Skulduggery Pleasant Series, Book 6) by Derek Landy (Completed October 7, 2011)
217. Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart by Laurel Ann Nattress (Completed October 8, 2011)
218. The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft (Completed October 8, 2011)
219. Die for Me (Revenants Series, Book 1) by Amy Plum (Completed October 11, 2011)
220. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Completed October 11, 2011)
221. Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan (Completed October 11, 2011)
222. Dracula by Bram Stoker (Completed October 18, 2011)
223. A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore (Completed October 20, 2011)
224. Smut by Alan Bennett (Completed October 21, 2011)
225. Dearly, Departed by Lisa Habel (Completed October 21, 2011)
226. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells (Completed October 21, 2011)
227. Grammar Girl's: 101 Misused Words You'll Never Confuse Again by Mignon Forgarty (Completed October 22, 2011)
228. The Lord of the Rings - Book 2: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (Completed October 28, 2011)
229. The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson
230. Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn (Completed October 28, 2011)
231. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Completed October 29, 2011)
232. Affinity by Sarah Waters (Completed October 29, 2011)
233. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Completed October 29, 2011)

NOVEMBER
234. Fables: Volume 2 - Animal Farm by Bill Willingham & Company (Completed November 3, 2011)
235. Alice, I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (Completed November 7, 2011)
236. The Secret Circle: Book 1 - The Initiation by L.J. Smith (Completed November 11, 2011)
237. The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde (Completed November 28, 2011)

DECEMBER
238. Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy, Book 1) by Jennifer Estep
239. The Postmortal by Drew Magary

Best Reads of 2011

2011-12-31T01:15:00.000-04:00

Best Historical Fiction:

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Completed October 29, 2011)

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Completed August 27, 2011)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Completed August 1, 2011)

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin (Completed July 19, 2011)

The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown (Completed May 14, 2011)

Best Non-Fiction:

Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan (Completed October 11, 2011)

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (Completed August 18, 2011)

Resistance: A Woman's Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert (Completed August 9, 2011)

Far and Away: A Prize Every Time by Neil Peart (Completed April 23, 2011)

Spitfire Women of World War II by Giles Whittell (Completed February 26, 2011)

Series I Continue to Love:

Death Bringer (Skulduggery Pleasant Series, Book 6) by Derek Landy (Completed October 7, 2011)

Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld Series, Book 12) by Kelley Armstrong (Completed July 25, 2011)

Empire of Ruins: The Hunchback Assignments III by Arthur Slade (Completed May 8, 2011)

Fables Volume 15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham & Company (Completed April 15, 2011)

River Marked by Patricia Briggs (Mercedes Thompson Series, Book 6 (Completed March 12, 2011)

A Lesson In Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs Series, Book 8)

Classics That I Loved:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Completed October 6, 2011)

Favourite Fantasy Reads:

Prince of Thrones: Book One of The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence (Completed September 23, 2011)

The Way of Kings: The Stormlight Archive - Book 1 by Brandon Sanderson (Completed September 1, 2011)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Completed September 10, 2011)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (Completed April 16, 2011)

Daughter of the Forest (Book One of The Sevenwaters Trilogy) by Juliet Marillier (Completed January 15, 2011)

The Fallen Kings Cycle Book 1: The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin (Completed January 10, 2011)

Honourable Mentions:
Among Others by Jo Walton
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (The Inheritance Trilogy #1) by N.K. Jemisin

Best Canadian Read:

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay (Completed September 3, 2011)

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Completed May 15, 2011)

Favourite Graphic Novels:

The Unwritten - Volume 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company (Completed August 26, 2011)
The Unwritten - Volume 2: Inside Man by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company (Completed August 26, 2011)
The Unwritten - Volume 3: Dead Man's Knock by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company (Completed August 26, 2011)

Trilogy I Was Sad To See End:

The Infinity Gate (DarkGlass Mountain Trilogy, Book 3) by Sara Douglass (Completed July 28, 2011)

Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man Trilogy, Book 3) (Completed June 19, 2011)

Books That Stand-up to a Reread:

Outlander (Outlander Series, Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon (Completed July 10, 2011)

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (Completed June 28, 2011)

Best Young Adult Fiction:

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (Completed June 23, 2011)

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (Completed March 11, 2011)

Book That I Didn't Expect to Love But Did:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Completed May 25, 2011)

Best Short Story Collection:

Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint (Completed April 11, 2011)

Book That I Am Still Thinking About:

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (Completed February 5, 2011)

End of the Year Survey and Book Buying...

2011-12-28T18:02:00.000-04:00

I saw this survey on It's All About Books and decided I really needed to post something today, so I went with this... If you get bored the end of my post shows the books I got for Christmas with my gift cards... The event is hosted by The Perpetual Page-Turner.

Bookish Bests

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

This is a hard question! I really enjoyed many books this year, so I don't think I could pick one. I will have to do a more in-depth post for this question.

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. People seem to love that book and I was very disinterested....

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman. When I read descriptions I didn't think it sounded like something I would really enjoy, but I decided to be 'different'. I am glad that I did!

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

The Night Circus and A Discovery of Witches. They are the ones I gave gifts to, too.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. I really enjoyed the first book and am tempted by the rest...

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

Helen Dunmore, E. Lockhart, Erin Morgernstern, Mark Lawrence, Kathryn Stockett, Helene Hanff, and many more...

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

oops, I really need to read down on these things... Probably Everything Began After by Simon van Booy. I probably wouldn't have read this without book bloggers.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

The Night Circus was unputdownable... Maybe not so much thrilling, though.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

River Marked by Patricia Briggs. I love this series!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

um... Among Others by Jo Walton has a pretty cover!

11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Good lord... These questions are hard. I know I will answer them and then think of something else... um... Helene Hanff. I know her books are non-fiction, so not really a character, but she sticks with me.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

The Night Circus, I think.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Little Princes by Conor Grennan in the non-fiction aspect. Probably When she Woke by Hilary Jordan in the fiction department.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

So many! I finally read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle books. I finally read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

I have no idea. I don't record this...

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

I don't reread much, so not sure.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

Probably either A Discovery of Witches or The Night Circus.

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?

Oh, wow, there are so many blogs that I started reading this year. Some of them just started blogging, but others have been blogging for years. I couldn't really narrow it down...

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2011?

Man, I don't know. My posts normally all are terrible. I think I have enjoyed all of my buddy reviews, though, because they are always fun to do!

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

Probably my venting on my Blogiversary post. I still kinda regret saying anything, but most people seemed to sort of agree and those that didn't lead to some interesting discussions.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?

I think I tend to look at things as a whole. I might read one post and it sort of makes me think, but then more posts about the same sort of thing getting me paying attention. Sometimes I make my own connections, though.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

Easy! Virtual Advent. I might be a bit biased, though...

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?

um... I finally did a vlog... And then another one... For me that is a HUGE step. I also talked to Marg on Skype...

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

I actually don't pay attention to things like that. I am not even sure how to do that easily, so I just won't.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

There are many... There never seems to be any rhyme or reason to what is popular. I find that more 'personal' posts get the best results. Book posts get attention, but music and things don't usually get much attention...

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I started using Fictfact this year. I find it very helpful...

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I completed challenges, yes. I also read more classics in one year than I have in years. That was sort of a goal. I probably could have done better, but it wasn't terrible either.

Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

I think The Wise Man's Fear, the next Kingkiller book, by Patrick Rothfuss, will be read very soon in 2012. <---- I am just going to say DITTO to Suey's answer. I was very excited about this book and STILL haven't read it.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

BITTERBLUE!!! Oh, and FAIR GAME! I don't like that series quite as much as her other one, but still, fun! And the new John Green... And more Fables... And a sequel to A Discovery of Witches... And a new book by Mark Lawrence...

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I want to get rid of my current template. I am tired of the black, but I am terrible at things like that...

Gift Card Book-Buying:

Bitterblue is a book I have been waiting for FOREVER! (Pre-order)

Finally! Sequel to the Fables spin-off! (Pre-order)

This came out a while ago but I was waiting for my Christmas gift cards...

New Patricia Briggs!!! I have been waiting for years! (Pre-order)

I read the first book in this series earlier this year, so I am excited to see what happens next... (Pre-order)

um, duh? I think I am too late to have it signed, but I still had to have a copy (Pre-order)

Ana (and several other people) loved this book and someone stole the library copy...

I wanted a new Daphne du Maurier book. It was a bit overwhelming, but I just like this title...

I have found I love Brandon Sanderson and this was a good price...

I have heard lots of good things about this book.

I received a review copy of the second book in this series without knowing it was the second book, so need book 1...

This was a splurge... It just sounds good. (Pre-order)

This sounds like a book you should own... Also a splurge. (Pre-order)

I love this series, so I am very excited to get a chance to read this...

This book is out next year and is the 5th Volume.

This was in the Bargain Bin...

I loved Hugo Cabret, so this was sort of a given...

Merry Christmas to All Who Celebrate!

2011-12-25T08:31:00.003-04:00

Virtual Advent 2011

2011-12-24T00:01:00.001-04:00

Twas the Night Before Christmas

by Clement Clarke Moore

Photo Credit

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

Photo Credit

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

Photo Credit

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

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The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

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With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

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"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

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As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

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And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

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He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

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His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

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The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

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He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

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He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

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He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

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For our post this year Carl suggested we explore this famous poem through pictures. I am looking forward to seeing in what direction Carl takes his post. You can see it yourself by clicking here. I think, though, the best way to explore this poem is through this Christmas special based on the famous play:

I have been thinking a lot lately about traditions. One of them is easily the Virtual Advent Blog Tour. It is hard to believe this is our 6th year hosting it! Thanks to Marg for another wonderful year! I look forward to next year! Another tradition has become Carl and I posting together.

I might not have anything specific story-wise, but for me Christmas has always been about movies and music.

This is one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite Christmas movies. With the snow falling like crazy outside I can definitely feel Christmas in the air. I know that you don't need snow for the holiday, but it always makes it feel more Christmasy. I am hoping it will stick around for the actual day. We have had a few green Christmases in the row.

Some years I watch more holiday movies than others. This year it was mostly revisiting some that I hadn't seen in years.

I will end this post by wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to those don't celebrate.

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 7

2011-12-23T12:29:00.000-04:00

Yes, this is a day late. I am impressed I am getting a chance to post period. I think it is because I am trying to avoid dealing with the snow that is falling at the moment. It was supposed to be just a nice covering, but we are reaching shovelling levels. I have about a million things I should be doing, but I am just going to pretend they don't exist for the moment.

On another note, I would like to thank everyone for the Christmas cards! I feel a bit bad because this is the second year in a row I didn't. I will have to try and actually get them out next year. Also, I apologize for not visiting all the blogs for Virtual Advent. I will try and get a chance in the next few days.

Now, I should get this post finished so I can do the other things I really should be doing.

New Fall Shows

New Girl - I have every episode of this show so we can watch it, but we just never seemed to find the time. We finally had a bit of time the other night and caught up on the episodes we had missed. I honestly can't decide if I like this show. It is just a bit strange... We will have to see in the New Year if we keep it up. I still think I would have liked it better if the casting hadn't changed after the first episode.

Movies

Jim Henson CNN People Profiles, 1999 - I was looking for something on YouTube and this came up. I figured I would check it out and it was actually rather interesting. I enjoyed watching Henson grow-up in the show-business world and I actually learned a lot. It is still a real shame he died so young.

Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas - It might have actually been this movie that lead me to the special above. I hadn't seen it in years and I think they mentioned it on Tor.com. I had to track down a way to watch it. It's a great little movie and a perfect holiday film. If you haven't seen it, you should. It is from 1977 and includes the voices of all of your favourite Muppets.

The Smurfs - The other day I 'cleaned' the channels off the TV. There were some coming up that we didn't actually have. Needless to say, I seemed to have found a few channels. This movie was playing on one of them and I decided to give it a watch. I really enjoyed The Smurfs when it was on television, but not enough to flock to the theatres to see the movie. It was cute. The only problem I had with it was the cat vomited in one of the scenes and I was eating lunch at the time.

Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol - If you follow me on Facebook you may have noticed where I said I started to watch this movie... I just thought it was terrible. I am thinking I only like this classic tale if it has a Muppet or cartoon character in it. So, I turned it off partway through to watch:

Muppet Christmas Carol - I love this movie! It is one of the movies I make sure to watch every Christmas. I introduced people to it over the years. It is just a fun movie and a great holiday tradition!

And, I did forget some movies last week where I hadn't posted the week before. They were:

Grown-ups - I REALLY wanted to see this movie at theatres, but we never made it. I thought it had an amazingly funny cast and would be fun to see. It was! I enjoyed it and am glad I finally got a chance to see it. It is not my favourite movie ever, but sometimes you just need to laugh.

The King's Speech - I don't get it... I am starting to think that I never agree with the Academy. It wasn't a terrible movie, but I found it boring at times and the cc stopped watching entirely. I actually wound up shutting it off about halfway through and then watching it by myself a few days later.

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 6

2011-12-21T22:57:00.000-04:00

What are you Listening to Wednesday will resume either next week or in the New Year. I had to go to a funeral today so I didn't get a chance to spend with music.