Monday, March 15, 2010

The Reading Year that Wasn't...

I think one of the reason I haven't been reading or blogging is that I am lacking in great reads so far this year. So far everything I try to read is just okay. The few books I am a bit excited about are buddy reviews; and then I was looking at the rest of the list and am not interested in reviewing them. I loved Fables and Jack of Fables, but it is getting to the point that it is so hard to review them because I don't want to ruin them for others. Last year tere were so many great reads at the beginning of the year that is made me excited for the next one. The books I have enjoyed this year I haven't loved. I need a book to love!

So, this is my general call... I have lots of books to read, but I need something amazing! Can you recommend something that you have loved so I can maybe love it too. I am just having a blah reading year so far and can't handle this anymore!

16 comments:

  1. Sniff, sniff. How can I convince you to read Teresa Edgerton? :-(

    Though really, now I do NOT want you to read her if you are in a blah reading mood and don't want to...

    Terry Pratchett, perhaps? I feel back in love with him with The Wee Free Men and if there are any in his portfolio you've missed, you might like that for fun! Or Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy I told you about earlier. Even if you read the back blurb and think it will be blah- just start reading! It will get you!!

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  2. I wish I could help but to be honest I'm having the same kind of year. Most everything I've read has beeen just kind of blah.

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  3. Aarti: I don't want to read Edgerton right now... I am worried that my reading mood will affect me and I won't like her! Mary Stewart might be an idea. Not surprisingly I have her books on my TBR pile to read one day...

    Amanda: It's horrible, huh? I hate bad reading years. :(

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  4. I am also facing the same situation. My reading has been really slow, but having said that I actually have lots of material to read but am generally feeling "slow". I'm not sure if I'm making any sense here...

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  5. We can't let you have a blah reading year!! What would I recommend?????

    * Little Bee
    * Secret History of the Pink Carnation
    *YA- Furnace (my son loved this one)
    * John Green- fave YA author!!

    It's only 6:20 am right now so my brain is having a hard time coming up with a big variety....I would check out 2009 wrap up posts where everyone listed the best reads of 2009, maybe you can find some good ones there????

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  6. I vote for either re-reading an old favourite that you haven't read in years, OR read something that is the complete opposite of what you like to read.

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  7. I had been having that kind of year (and you are right, it is horrible!) but I recently read and loved:

    *The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
    *Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan
    *Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
    *Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

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  8. Yes, try Mary Stewart :-) Or really, just start reading the first page of a bunch of books on your shelf and see if anything catches your attention. I know what it's like to go through really long dry reading spurts. It is sad, but the books will still be there when you come around :-)

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  9. One that I try to encourage everyone who has even a smidgen of interest in historical fiction in reading is Silk by Alessandro Barrico. It's short but amazing. And for sheer fun and chuckles, try Debi Gliori's Pure Dead Magic. It's YA (or kid lit) but I've yet to convince a kid to read it. However, all the adults I know who have tried it have howled with laughter.

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  10. Blah is how I've been feeling too. Three months into the year and nothing really exciting has grabbed me (except for graphic novels - my faithful companions.)
    Hope your reading gets better soon, hopefully Spring will bring sunny weather and good reads :)

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  11. A Spy in the House by Y.S. Ling - Victorian female spies by new Canadian YA author is great.

    I can't remember if you like mystery/thrillers at all but this year I'm hot for Elly Griffiths and Mo Hayder (as usual)

    Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman is great 1960s Southern Fiction

    Graphic novel - I'm loving the Angel: After the Fall series and for manga I'm really enjoying the new series Children of the Sea by Daisuke Igarashi (Vol. 3 will be out later this year) and Tegami Bachi by Hiroyuki Asada (Vol. 3 again is out in Sept)

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  12. Alice: I have lots to read, too... I just don't know what to read!

    Staci: I own Little Bee and Pink Carnation. I will have to add those to the maybe pile and look up the other. I have read everything by John Green, though.

    Karen: Re-reading might be a good idea...

    Amy: Those look good. I am off to see if the library has them.I read Cleopatra's Daughter and enjoyed it.

    Aarti: Thanks. :)

    Kristen: Silk was really good. I read it last year! I will look into Pure Dead Magic. Laughter is always good.

    Joanne: I really only have graphic novels, so I know what you mean!

    Nicola: Thanks for the list! I am not normally a thriller fan, but anything is better than not reading!

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  13. Some I highly recommend:

    --Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester
    --The Lottery by Patricia Wood (not sure if it's THE Lottery or just Lottery -- I keep forgetting)
    --The Secret Lives of People in Love or Love Begins in Winter by Simon Van Booy
    --The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

    Those are all books that have really stuck with me. Van Booy's are short stories. Also, I'm reading poetry by Billy Collins that's really great for a brain break. Some of it's even funny.

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  14. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

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  15. Have you read Olive Kitteridge yet? By Elizabeth Strout. It was my favorite book of last year, along with Atwood's The Year of the Flood.

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  16. Your reading year sounds like my reading year in '09. I don't think I'm going to recommend anything but I hope you find something you love.

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