Random Thoughts
Today will mark the end of Bout of Books. I will be curious to see what my numbers are provided I get time to read today. I am hoping to finish a few things up, so hopefully I end on a high note. I am still trying to get into a routine, so it is a work in progress. I would have liked to have read more, but life happens.
Don't forget that you have until January 20th, 2014 to sign up for Start 2014 'Write' hosted at the Estella Society. If you missed it you can read my post here and head over to the sign-ups here.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Year
Okay, if I waited to finish short story collections before moving on to her novels I would be here all year. So, I started Anne of Green Gables. I am doing it on audio and the narrator recently narrated Stiff by Mary Roach to me. It is going to take me a bit to get used to her telling a charming little tale of a girl with red hair and freckles. I do like her voice, though, so hopefully it works out. In short story land, I am still 50 pages away from finishing the first short story collection. I absolutely suck at reading short stories. My goal is to force myself to read the last 50 pages today. It isn't even that it is bad. I just am more likely to pick up a novel than a short story collection.
Graphic Novel Year
This is still happening. I could probably have read more graphic novels this week, but I am participating in an informal Graphic Novel Month in February. The goal is to read my own books, so I don't want to read everything now and have nothing for February. That is not to say I didn't finish anything. I read the following:
Ex Machina - Volume 1: The First Hundred Days by Brian Vaughan and Company
The Escapists by Brian Vaughan and Company
Fables - Volume 2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham and Company
Other Reading Projects
I am 100 pages from finishing a Lois McMaster Bujold. I aim to finish that today... Then I am not sure what will be next... Another book by her, Mort by Terry Pratchett, or figure out where I am with J.D. Robb. (I had planned to catch-up on Terry Pratchett on audio, but I didn't like the narrator. There is a different one for some of them, so I might read some and listen to others.)
Challenge News
Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys - Counts for the Postal Reading Challenge, the Audiobook Reading Challenge, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. - Counts for Long-Awaited Reads Month.
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan - Counts for the What's in a Name Challenge: A Number Written in Letters. - Counts for Long-Awaited Reads Month.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - Counts for the Audiobook Reading Challenge.
Fables - Volume 2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham - Counts for the Graphic Novel Challenge.
Ex Machina and The Excapists by Brian Vaughan - Count for the Graphic Novel Challenge.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight - Count for the What's in a Name Challenge: A Forename or Names.
Audiobooks
I finally finished Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, sped through Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys, and have started Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Next up will be The Black Flower by Howard Bahr for the Literature and War Read-along.
Currently Reading
It seems like a lot because I keep starting something and then getting distracted by something else...
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Antagonist by Lynn Coady
The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1896-1901 by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
Pantomime by Laura Lam
Weekly Reads
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan - Read my review here.
Fables - Volume 2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham and Company. I am really enjoying rereading this series!
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - You can read my review of this one here.
Ex Machina - Volume 1: The First Hundred Days by Brian Vaughan and Company. A good start to a new series. Reading on will depend on how easily it is to get the rest of the books.
The Escapists by Brian Vaughan and Company - I really liked this. I think there are sequels, but I haven't been able to find them anywhere, so I will have to research more.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight. I read this on a whim and didn't think I would like it, but wound up reading it in one sitting almost.
Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942. This book has appealed to me for ages. I couldn't easily get a paperback copy so went with the audio. Really good, but still would sort of like to read it one day.
Weekly Posts
Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Goals/Resolutions for 2014
Cat Thursday - Cat in a Drawer
Audiobook Review - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Book Review - Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
New Additions
The other half of my Christmas books:
Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
The Truth About Stories by Thomas King
The War That Ended Peace by Margaret MacMillan
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
James Tiptree Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips
The Maleficent Seven by Derek Landy
Gold Diggers: Striking it Rich in the Klondike by Charlotte Gray
Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy
A gift card I got after all the others:
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
For Review:
Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen
A Christmas book that shipped separately:
Letters from a Lost Generation
The only order I actually didn't have gift cards for...
A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway
Shine by Lauren Myracle
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys
Loki's Wolves by Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr
Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Some other stragglers... I don't know why they have to divide orders up so much:
The Best of all Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh
Once Upon a Time: Shadow of the Queen (graphic novel)
Yeah... This is a lot of books. Good thing for the most part I will only have pre-orders trickle in until next Christmas.
You are going to love Where Did You Go, Bernadette? It is such an adorable story. My son loves the Abaddon's Gate series (or whatever it is called). He keeps telling me I need to read it. I tell him it will be the first one on my list when I finally get through my own books. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you are still hanging strong on your resolutions and reading. Have a great week!
You are on a roll!!! Both with the reading, the challenges, and the acquiring. LOL! I'm definitely going to join y'all for Graphic Novel month...just need to decide what I want to read. So many choices. I need to see what my library has copies of.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy Anne of Green Gables. I read it a few years ago and didn't love it--too much watching of the mini-series when I was little, I think. Man I loved that show.
Sounds like you might be spreading yourself too thin. Maybe? Just a thought. :)
ReplyDeleteWhile I do like reading short books, I'm not so much into short story collections either. I want to be, but I just can't seem to get there.
You look to have have had a great start to the year so far (long may it continue!). I definitely need to listen to more audiobooks this year.
ReplyDeleteSo many books! Looks like you're in for a good reading year.
ReplyDeleteAnne of Green Gables is one of my favorite books. I tried to listen to it on audio--I know there are several narrator options--but I never found one that *sounded* like Anne to me! The short stories. I can relate :) Her early stories, in my opinion, aren't as good as some of her later ones. They begin to feel all-the-same if you read them all in a row!
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy Henrietta's War!
Wow - that is a lot of books. I'm slightly jealous :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting about Start 2014 Write - How did I miss that?! I'm definitely joining. Can't wait!
More good titles to consider! Where Did You Go, Bernadette is on my list. I liked Throne of Glass and always love Anne books.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a change! From Stiff to Anne of Green Gables--I can understand the initial shock hearing the same voice read both.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you've read some great books this year so far, Kelly.
Good luck with your challenges!
So much goodness in one post! I know I said it last week, but I can't help repeating myself--I'm so glad you brought these posts back. :) And hooray for Shine--one of my absolute favorite reads from last year!
ReplyDeleteI was charmed by Where'd You Go, Bernadette! Hope you enjoy it as much. Looks like you'll have a wonderful, challenging year!
ReplyDelete