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Monday, January 11, 2010

Week 2: It's Monday; what are you reading?

Well, week two for me of participating in J. Kaye's It's Monday; what are you reading?

It's been a busy, Pratchett-filled week! I finished Jingo, which was fun. I have also finished The Last Continent, The Fifth Elephant, Carpe Jugulum, and The Truth. I've started Thief of Time, but I'm nearly a quarter of the way into it and it's just not interesting me. (Blasphemy, I know!)

I'm also reading Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations of Comfort & Joy. I've been reading it a chapter or so at a time, and I like what she says about a home being a refuge, a source of comfort and calm. Though I do really well in the cooking and craft areas, and fairly well in the fiber arts area, and I'm great at figuring out how to use space, I'm terrible at keeping up with it. I'm using this to try and stay motivated.

My husband and I finished our audiobook (Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke), and started a new one: Tiger by Jeff Stone. It's the first book in the Five Ancestors series.

I enjoyed Inkheart. After reading it last year, it was interesting to hear it as an audiobook! I keep forgetting that it's actually a translation from German…if only the translations of the classics from Ancient Greek were so well done!

Tiger I'm not so sure about. The synopsis on the case seems like it should be interesting, but in some ways it comes off as a caricature of Asian literature. It's jsut a little too stereotypical, if you know what I mean.

Oh, I'm also reading Singer's Crown. Very good book. :)

Monday, January 04, 2010

Week 1: It's Monday; what are you reading?

I'm a fan of J. Kaye's Book Blog. She does several reading challenges each year; last March she started a weekly event called "It's Monday; what are you reading?"

Sounds like fun; wish I had found it before!

I've been on a Discworld kick; in the last month and a half, I've read about a dozen of them. (Gotta love Terry Pratchett!)

My husband and I are listening to the audiobook of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I read it last year, but my husband the media specialist happened across it at the public library. We're about three-quarters done, and I'm really enjoying the reading.

Today I finished Hogfather, which is hilarious. It's the Discworld take on Santa Claus. But of course, since we're talking Discworld, it's pretty odd. Especially when Death and Death of Rats get involved, dragging Death's adopted granddaughter into things. (I really wanted to get to this one before Christmas, but c'est la vie. At least it's still technically the Christmas season, since Epiphany/Twelfth Night isn't until tomorrow.)

Then I started the next book, Jingo, at lunch. This one is a reread for me. In true Discworld fashion, it takes all those legends of lost or sunken continents, throws in some mindless nationalism, and brings it through insanity and out the other side. It also gives Leonard of Quirm, the Ankh Morpork version of Leonardo da Vinci, a prominent role. (I love his names for stuff…like the "Going Under the Water Machine", for a submarine!)

I'm also reading The Bread Machine Cookbook. Tonight I'm going to take on Honey Whole Wheat Bread for the second time.

Also, I've decided to give up on the One Year Bible thing, since it never works for me. Instead, I'm going to try to read The Old Testament this year, and the New Testament next year. (I was inspired by our Minister of Administration, who is doing a two year plan for the Bible.) I'm in Genesis, which I always find fascinating.

That's really it for right now.

Signed up for the 2010 100+ Book Challenge

For the second year, I'm signing up for J. Kaye's 2010 Book Challenge! Last year I exceeded my goal: I counted one hundred twenty-three books in 2009. And I missed some books, during the madness that was buying a house (July) and my usual November madness, so I know I read at least one hundred twenty-five; probably more. Thinking about it, it had to be more, because I certainly read more than four books in November!

I loved doing this; I always read tons of books, but I never really remember when I read what. This took care of that problem! (Well, for the most part…)

I had a bunch of books I never finished reading this year. So I'm going to set those aside, to either add to the abandoned list or start over with later. Well, I finished up the last chapter of Feet of Clay at 2 am on New Year's Day, so that will count for last year. :)

If you want to join me, sign up at J. Kaye's blog!

By the way, books marked with an asterisk are audiobooks.

January 2010 (11 books)
  • Hogfather (Discworld #20) by Terry Pratchett
  • Jingo (Discworld #21) by Terry Pratchett
  • The Last Continent (Discworld #22) by Terry Pratchett
  • Carpe Jugulum (Discworld #23) by Terry Pratchett
  • The Fifth Elephant (Discworld #24) by Terry Pratchett
  • The Truth (Discworld #25) by Terry Pratchett
  • The Last Hero* (Discworld #27) by Terry Pratchett
  • Inkheart* by Cornelia Funke
  • The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld #28) by Terry Pratchett
  • Night Watch (Discworld #29) by Terry Pratchett
  • The Singer's Crown by Elaine Isaak
February 2010 (13 books)
  • Star Wars: Soldier for the Empire
  • Star Wars: Rebel Agent
  • Star Wars: Jedi Knight
  • Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
  • Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia
  • Star Wars: Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell
  • Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
  • War of the Worlds Audio Drama
  • Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia
  • Star Wars: Soldier for the Empire
  • Star Wars: Rebel Agent* (Checked out fr library; horrible full cast recording, with cheesy sound effects–especially the moaning voices on the planet–and overdone evilness from the Dark Jedi)
  • Northhanger Abbey
  • Star Wars: Jedi Knight
March 2010 (6 books; several missing)
  • Heist Society by Ally Carter
  • Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
  • Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Warrior's Apprentice (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold
April 2010 (3 books; many missing)
  • The Gathering Storm (The Wheel of Time #12) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
  • I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You (Gallagher Girls #1) by Ally Carter
  • A Way with Words II: Approaches to Literature by Michael D. C. Drout
May 2010 (10 books)
  • The Season
  • Distant Waves: a Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn
  • Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
  • Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time #6) by Robert Jordan
  • Unwind by Neal Shusterman
  • The Hunger Games (Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins
  • Mike McGrath's Book of Compost by Mike McGrath
  • The Roar by Emma Clayton
  • The Giver by Lois Lowry
  • Victoriana Player's Handbook
June 2010 (7 books; several missing)
  • The Vor Game (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold
  • Mountains of Mist (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold
  • You Can't Judge a Girl By Her Cover (Gallagher Girls #3) by Ally Carter
  • Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls #4) by Ally Carter
  • The Path of Daggers (Wheel of Time #7) by Robert Jordan
  • Dracula* by Bram Stoker
  • Preserving Summer's Bounty: A Quick and Easy Guide to Freezing, Canning, Preserving, and Drying What You Grow by Susan McClure
July 2010 (8 books; a few missing)
  • Ringworld by Larry Niven
  • The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Twilight novella) by Stephenie Meyer
  • Water for Elephants* by Sara Gruen
  • There's a Monster at the End of This Book
  • Dead Until Dark (Southern Vamp Mysteries #1) by Charlaine Harris
  • Living Dead in Dallas (Southern Vamp Mysteries #2) by Charlaine Harris
  • Club Dead (Southern Vamp Mysteries #3) by Charlaine Harris
  • Dead to the World (Southern Vamp Mysteries #4) by Charlaine Harris
August 2010 (12 books)
  • Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vamp Mysteries #5) by Charlaine Harris
  • Definitely Dead (Southern Vamp Mysteries #6) by Charlaine Harris
  • All Together Dead (Southern Vamp Mysteries #7) by Charlaine Harris
  • From Dead to Worse (Southern Vamp Mysteries #8) by Charlaine Harris
  • Dead and Gone (Southern Vamp Mysteries #9) by Charlaine Harris
  • Dead in the Family (Southern Vamp Mysteries #10) by Charlaine Harris
  • Time Travelers Never Die* by Jack McDevitt
  • Rendevous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
  • Barefoot in the Park
  • by Neil Simon
  • The Passage* by Justin Cronin
  • Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (HP #5) by J.K. Rowling
September 2010 (14 books)
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (HP #6) by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows (HP #7) by J.K. Rowling
  • Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
  • Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (HP #1) by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (HP #2) by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (HP #3) by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (HP #4) by J.K. Rowling
  • Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins
  • Mockingjay* (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins
  • A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman
  • Princess Academy* by Shannon Hale
  • You See but You Do Not Observe
  • Catch a Rising Star by Tracey Bateman
  • The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
October 2010 (8 books)
  • New Spring (Wheel of Time prequel) by Robert Jordan
  • Nim's Island by Wendy Orr
  • Lamplighter (Monster Blood Tattoo #2) by D. M. Cornish
  • Greywalker (Greywalker #1) by Kat Richardson
  • The Herbal Body Book: A Natural Approach to Healthier Skin, Nails, and Hair by Stephanie L. Toules
  • Belgarath the Sorceror (Belgariad series) by David and Leigh Eddings
  • Pawn of Prophecy (Belgariad #1) by David Eddings
  • Queen of Sorcery (Belgariad #2) by David Eddings
November 2010 (9 books; a few missing)
  • Magician's Gambit (Belgariad #3) by David Eddings
  • Castle of Wizardry (Belgariad #4) by David Eddings
  • Enchanter's Endgame (Belgariad #5) by David Eddings
  • The Wisewoman by Philippa Gregory
  • Take a Thief (Valdemar series) by Mercedes Lackey
  • Exile's Honor (Valdemar series) by Mercedes Lackey
  • Arrows of the Queen (Valdemar series) by Mercedes Lackey
  • Arrow's Flight (Valdemar series) by Mercedes Lackey
  • The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downey Hahn
  • Arrow's Fall (Valdemar series) by Mercedes Lackey
December 2010
  • The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart (Kindle app)
  • Winds of Fate (Valdemar series) by Mercedes Lackey
  • Dune (Dune #1) by Frank Herbert
  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo* (Millennium #1) by Stieg Larson
  • The Boleyn Inheritance (Tudor series) by Philippa Gregory
  • Fire (Graceling #2) by Kristin Cashore

Currently Reading
  • The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
  • Flatland: A Romance in Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott
  • Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart
  • Mrs. Sharp's Tradtions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations Of Comfort & Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach
  • The Warrior's Heir (Heir Trilogy #1) by Cinda Williams Chima
Abandoned
  • Thief of Time* (Discworld, Book 26) by Terry Pratchett
  • Tiger* (The Five Ancestors, Book 1) by Jeff Stone
  • The Gearhart*
In the Queue
  • Confessions by Saint Augustine
  • Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
  • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith