The Written World

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)

2012-01-22T13:37:00.000-04:00

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)

2012-01-15T23:14:00.000-04:00

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)

2012-01-08T12:26:00.003-04:00

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.

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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.

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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.

Photo Credit

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!

Photo Credit

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!"

Photo Credit

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.

A Christmas Meme and Cat Pictures...

2011-12-20T18:27:00.001-04:00

I found this meme on Carol's Notebook. I decided since I have no real inspiration for anything else, I would join in.

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
It depends. The Egg Nog the guy buys has way too many spices in it for me, so I won't drink it. So, if it is the right kind then both.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
I wrap things. Unless the person knows what it is all ready. Then I stick in a gift bag.

Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Coloured. If white is done right it looks fine, but generally it is a bit too dull for me.

Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope!

When do you put your decorations up?
I didn't actually decorate at all this year. We won't really be here and the cat gets into everything. Generally I decorate on the 1st, though.

What is your favorite holiday dish?
Mincemeat Pie.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
At the time thinking Santa was on the roof...

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I actually don't remember.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Sometimes. It depends on who we are spending Christmas with.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
I don't. We just have one of those fibre optic ones that sits on the table. No room for anything bigger!

Snow! Love it or Dread it?
On the one hand I love it... On the other hand I absolutely hate driving in it and shovelling gets old fast!

Can you ice skate?
Well, I don't fall down, but I don't exactly glide either...

Do you remember your favorite gift?
I would have to say probably my eReader. Otherwise, it is all the books I buy with the gift cards I receive.

What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Everyone getting along...

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Mincemeat tarts... (I all ready said pie above. Should have read further down.)

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Well, we don't really have traditions. I did when I was a child, but since I have gotten with the guy every Christmas has been different. We really need to figure something out that we can do every year.

What tops your tree?
Nothing, but when I was a kid it was usually an angel.

Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Generally giving, but this year was just a stressful experience. No one is easy to buy for any more... I used to be excited about what I gave people. This year, not so much...

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?
I can take them or leave them...

Favourite Christmas Show?
Muppet Christmas Carol. I still haven't watched it this year... Maybe tonight!

Saddest Christmas Song
'Christmas Shoes' by Newsong.

I finally got the pictures of Casey off my phone.

Her first night here.

The only time you can get a decent picture is when she is asleep.

I decided to make a puzzle... She decided to 'help'.

The replacement comforter makes a good place to sleep...

Checking out John Lennon.

2011 in Review

2011-12-19T13:50:00.000-04:00

January

- In January I started off the year actually reading classics! I received an eReader last year for Christmas and my aim was to read more classic books. This meant that I finally read H.G. Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charlotte Bronte, Jean Webster, etc.

- I also started using programs like NetGalley and requesting e-books from the library.

- I think January was also the start of what could be called 'The Year of the Muppets'. I read several of the comic books in January and had lots of fun!

February

- In February I actually tried to start watching more movie classics. I was able to maintain this for a while, but it fizzled a bit as the year progressed.

- I also read books by J.D. Robb... An author I hadn't read since 2007! (I am just really bad with series...)

- One major accomplishment is actually reading Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. That book had been on TBR pile for an insanely long time!

March

- March was a bit of a project month because I read several books that others wanted me to read. Tender Morsels is a good example. I kept starting that book and then not finishing it. I am glad I held on to it, though, because it turned out to be one of my favourite reads of the year!

- The most exciting thing about March was the reading of River Marked by Patricia Briggs. It is my favourite book in the series so far and one of my favourite series period. I am just disappointed there is nothing new in that series until 2013!

- But, ultimately, my favourite thing about March is the launch of the Once Upon a Time challenge.

- What I am also finding is that even though I have relatively good numbers for my totals this year, I have been struggling for most of it to actually read. Hopefully 2012 will be better!

- The saddest thing about March was the passing of Diana Wynne-Jones. She will be missed!

April

-In April I spent some time with Charles de Lint. I love spending time with him!

- I also read the new book by Neil Peart. I really wish I could one day lead someone to reading his books because he really is a fantastic author...

- I read a lot of graphic novels and comics in April and then hardly read them the rest of the year...

May

- The guys birthday is in May but I didn't mention it this year. Weird.

- In May I continued to spend time with Charles de Lint.

- I read the newest book by Arthur Slade in May. Another author more people should read!

- I went a bit too crazy buying books the first part of the year. It is no wonder I can't find space for the ones I got for Christmas... The slowed down reading combined with the influx of books didn't exactly even out.

June

- I can't believe that I had forgotten how hard it was for me to read for most of the year. I seem to have erased most of that from my memory. I suppose it is because the numbers were there, but they were a struggle. It is no wonder I am in a Reading Slump now...

- June is when all my computer problems started. This first time I did get it fixed and returned for a bit.

- In June I did finish some series/trilogies and read books off of my TBR pile, so it wasn't a totally bad month.

July

- In July I reviewed a book by Robin Hobb that I read back in June. I hadn't read a book by her since 2007. I am terrible at series!

- In July I started what I hoped was a Terry Pratchett year, but for some reason I never seem to make much progress with him.

- I started 'Friday Reads' in July. I haven't been doing them lately because I am not reading, but they will hopefully be back in the New Year.

- I reread Outlander in July. I am always impressed when I reread books because I do it very rarely!

- My youngest step-sister had a major health scare this month. (She is doing fine now.)

- And then, my computer died again...

August

- New computer!

- August was really centred around the Memorial Service for the guys sister who died from cancer last December. It was the closure that most of the family needed.

- I started Way of Kings in August. This is mentioned because I complained about how I have 2 copies of the book and both are in rough shape...

- August brought a return of NetGalley and actually using my eReader.

- Then it was time to get ready for the R.I.P. challenge.

September

- September has Book Blogger Appreciation Week. I didn't participate a lot, but I did discover new blogs!

- It was also the start of the Read-Along of J.R.R. Tolkien. I am disappointed I never read The Return of the King in November.

- And, the month was rounded out by the birth of my friends baby, Piper.

October

- My birthday is in October, so I of course bought books...

- I also participated in several read-alongs as part of the R.I.P. Challenge.

- October also brought the launch of the television show Once Upon a Time.

November

- In November I posted almost everyday, but I didn't read much of anything.

- I did get some reviewing done, though.

- I started my 'Tuning in on Thursday' posts.

- I started looking forward to 2012.

- I also started doing 'What are you Listening to Wednesday' posts.

December

- I am still not reading.

- We got Casey, though! (The kitten).

- I have basically spent the month with Virtual Advent and hurrying the month along.

- Last night the person close to the guy that I have sorted of hinted around to passed away from cancer. 1 year and a week exactly from when his sister died.

- Yes, December 12th was the 1 year anniversary of his sisters' passing.

- I did do a vlog, though!

- And now I am getting ready for the holidays and getting organized for the New Year ahead.

My Book Loot - A Vlog

2011-12-18T16:14:00.000-04:00

Okay, technically these are a Christmas present from the guy. Technically it is not Christmas, but I had the house to myself and decided that I should just do another vlog. I highly doubt I will get any more books for Christmas because I don't normally get any. I could have waited and posted this after Christmas, but if I think of it too much I probably wouldn't post it at all. And, the only way these were getting wrapped is if I felt inspired to wrap them myself... I didn't...

The lighting is terrible, but that's the normal weather for this time of the year and lamplight looked even worse. (I just hate that the light reflects off my glasses...)

Books Mentioned in Post:
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Sala's Gift: My Mother's Holocaust Story by Ann Kirschner
The House of the Stag by Kage Baker
Faith by Jennifer Haigh
Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn
Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox
The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
Warriors: New Fiction by Various Authors edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore
General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn
Moonheart by Charles de Lint
Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky
Elfland by Freda Warrington
Dragon Haven: Book 2 of The Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb
The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint
Into the Green by Charles de Lint
Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay
Winnie and Wolf by A.N. Wilson
Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz

People Mentioned:
Memory @ Stella Matutina
Megan @ Po(sey) Sessions
Anna @ Diary of an Eccentric & War through the Generations (hm, did I say this or Ages on the vlog...)
Andi @ Estella's Revenge
Historical Tapestry

Literary Novels from my Stacks

2011-12-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

Wendy, at Caribousmom, wrote a post a couple days ago about themed reading. She tends to collect literary prize winners and then they sit on her TBR pile. I always pay particular attention to the Canadian Award Winners. In November she is planning to read the Giller winners/nominess that she owns and in December the Governor General Awards. My reading tends to slow down near the end of the year, but should I be able to stick with it, I thought maybe I would join in. These are the books I have on my TBR pile that would fit:

Giller Awards:

(I only went with winners & the short list. If I included long-list we could be here for a while.)
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Piano Man's Daughter by Timothy Findley
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
The Cure for Death by Lightening by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe
Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo
A Recipe for Bees by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
A Good House by Bonnie Burnard
Pilgrim by Timothy Findley
A Student of Weather by Elizabeth Hay
The Russlander by Sandra Birdsell
Martin Sloane by Michael Redhill
Stanley Park by Timothy Taylor
The Stone Carvers by Jane Urquhart
The Polished Hoe by Austen Clarke
The Navigator of New York by Wayne Johnston
The In-Between World of Vikram Lall by M.G. Vassanji
The Island Walkers by John Bemrose
The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald
The Time in Between by David Bergen
The Assassin's Song by M.G. Vassanji
Effigy by Alissa York
Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon
The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels

Governor General Awards:

Fiction:

(Winners and the Short List.)
The Origin of Species by Nino Ricci
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe
Nights Below Station Street by David Adam Richards
The Wars by Timothy Findley
The Little Shadows by Marina Endicott
Atmospheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen
The Last Highway by David Adams Richards
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley

Non-fiction:

(These are just the winners. I will have to find the short lists because I know I own more...)
Christie Blatchford, Fifteen Days: Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army
Karolyn Smardz Frost, I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad
Lt.-Gen. Roméo Dallaire, Shake Hands With the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda
Pierre Berton, The Last Spike

Poetry Reading in 2012

2011-12-17T12:01:00.003-04:00

Twitter leads to interesting things. There was a discussion on there a few weeks ago about poetry that lead Jason and Lu to come up with lists of some of their favourite poetry. I don't read a lot of poetry generally, but I am told I can get most of it online and I want to broaden my horizons a bit. I haven't decided how I am going to blog about it. I originally planned to try and read all of them in January and February, but where I don't read a lot of poetry I am worried that I will get burned out. So, I will just call this a project for 2012 and see how it goes. The list was also shared with Eva and Chris; so hopefully they will be reading them, too. And, if anyone else is interested feel free.

Lu's List:

List of 100 Poems

1. “Please” by Yusef Komunyakaa
2. “At the Screen Door” by Yusef Komunyakaa
3. “The Sea is History” by Derek Walcott
4. “Cottonmouth Country” by Louise Glück
5. “All Hallows” by Louise Glück
6. “October (Section 1)” by Louise Glück
7. “At the Fishhouses” by Elizabeth Bishop
8. “First Death in Nova Scotia” by Elizabeth Bishop
9. “The Bat” by Claudia Emerson
10. “Daybook” by Claudia Emerson
11. “The Bat” by Ellen Bryant Voigt
12. “Tropics” by Ellen Bryant Voigt
13. “The Morning Again It Was In the Dusty Pines” by Mary Oliver
14. “The Kingfisher” by Mary Oliver
15. “Electrical Storm” by Mary Oliver
16. “Separation” by W. S. Merwin
17. “What the Body Told” by Rafael Campo
18. “Cultural Stakes: or, How to Learn English as a Second Language” by Kevin A. González
19. “To You” by Kevin A. González
20. “Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde
21. “Never to Dream of Spiders” by Audre Lorde
22. “Dirge Without Music” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
23. “Hearing your words, and not a word among them” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
24. “Inland” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
25. “The Afterbirth, 1931” by Nikky Finney
26. “Aubade” by Philip Larkin
27. “I Have Started to Say” by Philip Larkin
28. “Flying at Night” by Ted Kooser
29. “Porch Swing in September” by Ted Kooser
30. “Daddy Long Legs” by Ted Kooser
31. “Artichoke” by Joseph Hutchinson
32. “Something About the Trees” by Linda Pastan
33. “Lines” by Ruth Stone
34. “Prayer for Sleep” by Cheryl Dumesnil
35. “Of the Parrat and other birds that can speake” by Nick Lantz
36. “i have found what you are like” by e. e. cummings
37. “the Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls” by e. e. cummings
38. “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in” by e. e. cummings
39. “Grief Calls Us to the Things of This World” by Sherman Alexie
40. “How to Write the Great American Indian Novel” by Sherman Alexie
41. “Crow Song” by Margaret Atwood
42. “I Was Sleeping Where the Black Oaks Move” by Louise Erdrich
43. “Speaking of the Devil” by Leslie Adrienne Miller
44. “Cherries” by Leslie Adrienne Miller
45. “Blood” by Naomi Shihab Nye
46. “Last August Hours Before the Year 2000” by Naomi Shihab Nye
47. “Making a Fist” by Naomi Shihab Nye
48. “Hir” performed by Alysia Harris and Aysha El Shamayleh http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/07/01/748654/-Brave-New-Voices
49. “Pesto in August” by Katrina Vendenberg
50. “Op-Talk” by Rives (spoken word)
51. “Glaucoma” by Rives (spoken word)
52. “I Could Be A Poet” by Taylor Mali (spoken word)
53. “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens
54. “To My Lover, Concerning the Yird-Swine” by Julianna Baggott (This poem is not online. I will feature it in Poetry Wednesday one day.)
55. “When At A Certain Party in NYC” by Erin Belieu
56. “Here and There” by Billy Collins
57. “Fishing on the Susquehanna in July” by Billy Collins
58. “There’s Been A Death in the Opposite House” by Emily Dickinson
59. “Natural Wonder” by Diane Ackerman
60. “Buckroe, After the Season, 1942” by Virginia Hamilton Adair
61. “Louisiana Line” by Betty Adcock
62. “Language of Love” by Rae Armantrout
63. “Dusk” by Rae Armantrout
64. “Mothers” by Nikki Giovanni
65. “Poem for a Lady Whose Voice I Like” by Nikki Giovanni
66. “Entrance into wood” by Pablo Neruda
67. “Love for this Book” by Pablo Neruda
68. “The Lark” by Gabriela Mistral
69. “Lost in the Hospital” by Rafael Campo
70. “Firefly Under the Tongue” by Coral Bracho
71. “Boy Breaking Glass” by Gwendolyn Brooks
72. “This Corner of the Western World” by Jennifer Chang
73. “Bankruptcy Hearing” by Dana Bisignani
74. “Requiem for a Nest” by Wanda Coleman
75. “sweet reader, flannelled and tulled” by Olena Kalytiak Davis
76. “Weighing In” by Rhina P. Espaillat
77. “Bilingual/Bilingüe” by Rhina P. Espaillat
78. “The Sign in My Father’s Hands” by Martín Espada
79. “Kaddish” by Allen Ginsberg
80. “After Fifty Years” by William Faulkner
81. “Ways of Talking” by Ha Jin
82. “Chernobyl Year” by Jehanne Dubrow
83. “Visiting My Gravesite: Talbott Churchyard, West Virginia” by Irene McKinney
84. “Our Lady of Perpetual Loss” by Deborah A. Miranda
85. “Love Poem to a Butch Woman” by Deborah A. Miranda
86. “Out of the rolling ocean the crowd” by Walt Whitman
87. “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” by Walt Whitman
88. “Sometimes with One I Love” by Walt Whitman
89. “Clarinet” by Terrance Hayes
90. “Planetarium” by Adrienne Rich
91. “What Kind of Times Are These” by Adrienne Rich
92. “Genesis: The Resilient Colors” by Roberto Tejada
93. “As from a Quiver of Arrows” by Carl Phillips
94. “This Can’t Be” by Bruce Smith
95. “A Certain Kind of Eden” by Kay Ryan
96. “Paired Things” by Kay Ryan
97. “Flounder” by Natasha Trethewey
98. “Pilgrimage” by Natasha Trethewey
99. “Providence” by Natasha Trethewey
100. “Blackberrying” by Sylvia Plath

Jason's List:

A Month's Worth of Poems
1 - Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti
2 - Renascence by Edna St. Vincent Millay
3 - The Changeling by Charlotte Mew
4 - The Waste Land by T S Eliot
5 - If Not, Winter by Sappho
6 - Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barret Browning
7 - Daddy by Sylvia Plath
8 - The Second Coming by William Butler Years
9 - Poems for Akhmatova by Marina Tsvetaeva
10 - Orchard by H.D.
11 - Resume by Dorothy Parker
12 - The Lady of Shallot by Alfred Lord Tennyson
13 - To make a prairie by Emily Dickinson
14 - The Poison Tree by William Blake
15 - Batter My Heart (Holy Sonnet XIV) by John Donne
16 - High waving heather, 'neath stormy blasts bending by Emily Bronte
17 - For the Courtesan Ch'ing Lin by Wu Tsao
18 - The Wanderer by Anonymous
19 - Cinderella by Anne Sexton
20 - I Sing the Body Electric by Walt Whitman
21 - The Touch by Renee Vivien
22 - Advertisement for the Waldorf-Astoria by Langston Hughes
23 - Ozymandias by Percy Bryce Shelley
24 - As Kingfishers Catch Fire by Gerard Manley Hopkins
25 - A Ballad Maker by Padraic Colum
26 - There was a man of double deed by Anonymous
27 - Lunar Eclipse by Mai Yao-ch'en
28 - Donal Og by Lady Gregory
29 - Muse by Anna Akhmatova
30 - Sonnet #147 (My love is a fever) by William Shakespeare
31 - To One Hated by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Reading Challenges for 2012

2011-12-17T00:01:00.005-04:00

I have made my decisions for what Reading Challenges I am going to sign-up for in 2012. I am having some issues with Blogger that seem to only be affecting me, so let's hope this doesn't turn into a formatting disaster!

The Sir Terry Pratchett Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Hannah at Once Upon a Time.

What She Says:

I have been thinking about this challenge for a few months now and it seems that this is the perfect time to get it out there. You see, I need to read more Pratchett. I adore the man, I adore Discworld, yet everytime it comes up in conversation, “I’ve only read as far as Guards, Guards and I can’t even remember what happened, I definitely need to read more.” So I have been dutifully collecting Pratchett books when I’ve spotted them in the charity shop in the hopes that I’ll finally live up to that. But I haven’t. Thus the Pratchett reading challenge 2012 is born.

Any format, any book, so long as it’s Pratchett. Re-reads are also perfectly acceptable! Books need to be started and finished between January 1st 2012 and December 31st 2012. You can set your own goals, whether you want to read 5 books or go for the whole Discworld series, that is entirely up to you. Be realistic or go crazy, there are no penalties if you don’t meet your goal, in fact the only real goal is to read some Pratchett. All you need to do is sign up below and steal the button. Stick it in a post, in your sidebar, on a separate page, wherever you like. I’ve made the button pretty big so please do feel free to resize it as fits.

My Thoughts: I will just be happy to read more from Terry Pratchett. I have several books by him on my TBR pile.

My List:
1.

Reading Shakespeare: A Play a Month in 2012

January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Risa at Breadcrumb Reads.

The Plays:

January — A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Completed January 16, 2012
February — Macbeth
March — Henry V
April — Much Ado About Nothing
May — Antony and Cleopatra
June — Richard III
July — As You Like It
August — King Lear
September — Cymbeline
October — Twelfth Night
November — Othello
December — Pericles

My Thoughts: I will probably not participate every month. I will basically just have to see what happens.

My List:
1.

What's in a Name 5

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Beth at Beth Fish Reads.

What She Says:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

My Thoughts: I have seen this challenge around for ages and never joined. I think I will this year. It's a bit fun and I will curious to see if I can come up with books for all the categories.

My List:
1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title:
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title:
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title:
4. A book with a type of house in the title:
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title:
6. A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title:

War Through the Generations Reading Challenge: WW1

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Serena and Anna at War Through the Generations.

They Say:

War Through the Generation’s 2012 reading challenge will be World War I. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012.

Rules:

This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the WWI as the primary or secondary theme.

Books can take place before, during, or after the war, so long as the conflicts that led to the war or the war itself are important to the story. Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.

Dip: Read 1-3 books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Wade: Read 4-10 books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Swim: Read 11 or more books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.

Additionally, we’ve decided that since there are so many great movies out there about WWI, you can substitute or add a movie or two to your list this year and have it count toward your totals.

My Thoughts: I have wanted to do this challenge every year since it started. It is about time I joined in! I am going to go with Dip and start of with a goal of 1-3 books. I am not sure how many WW1 books I own.

My List:
1.
2.
3.

The Telling Tales Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Bex at An Armchair by the Sea and Esther at Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

They Say:

Rules:
· Challenge runs from January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2012. You may sign up to participate at any point between these dates.
· Any genre counts as long as it is related to fairytale, folklore, or mythology in some way. If you’re not sure if it counts – as long as you can make a case for why it should, then it does!
· You can re-read books for this challenge as long as the reviews you link are written during 2012, and the challenge can also overlap other challenges.
· Whatever you read must either be a version of a fairytale or myth, or contain fairytale or mythological characters, settings, or sequence of events.
· Every month there will be update posts either here or on my sister’s blog. Please link up your reviews for that month on this post.

My Thoughts: My goal is to read 5 books from Mix n Match. To see all of the categories it is easier to go to the blog here. I will probably read more if I join in for the Once Upon a Time challenge.

My List:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Essay Reading Challenge 2012

January 1, 2012 - November 30, 2012

Hosted by Carrie at Books and Movies.

She Says:

~ This challenge runs from January 1, 2012 through November 30, 2012.

~ If you read a book of essays, that book can also apply to any other challenges you are working on.

~ Choose a goal of reading 10, 20, or 30 essays, and then write a challenge post, linking back to this post. Feel free to copy and paste the above image into your challenge post.

~ Copy your challenge post’s link into the Mr. Linky below or on the main challenge page.

~ You don’t have to list your essays ahead of time – just have fun reading throughout the year.

~ I will put up a page for the challenge in my header, and add a Mr. Linky for essay reviews and wrap-up posts as the year goes on.

~ Everyone who completes the challenge and writes at least one review will be eligible for the giveaway prize: A copy of Best American Essays 2012.

~ I will put up a wrap-up and giveaway post sometime early in December – that’s why the challenge only runs through November.

My Thoughts: I generally have fun with this challenge, so it made sense to join in again this year. I will be signing up to read 10 essays. I always aim low because I never have any idea what I will wind up reading.

My List:
1. 'chipped beef' by David Sedaris- Read January 1, 2012
2. 'a plague of ticks' by David Sedaris - Read January 8, 2012
3. 'get your ya-ya's out! by David Sedaris- Read January 8, 2012
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Hosted by Historical Tapestry.

They Say:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)

During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:
Severe Bookaholism: 20 books
Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books
Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
Daring & Curious: 5 books
Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

My Thoughts: Since I am one of the co-bloggers at Historical Tapestry I figure I should sign-up for this challenge again this year. I will do Struggling the Addicition this year and read 10 books. It would be nice to read more, but judging by this year it might not...

My List:
1. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston (HF) (Completed January 13, 2012)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

My blog is working right again, so I just edited this to add pictures, fix formatting, and add some links.

Wrapping up 2011 Challenges

2011-12-16T12:01:00.003-04:00

The Great Reading Swap of 2011
January 1, 2011 - March 1, 2012

This challenge was expected to stop on December 31, but because of my slow reading I have extended the challenge to March.

Books Completed:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (review)

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill (review)

North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell (review)
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (review pending)
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (review)
Witness in Death by J.D. Robb (review)
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (review)
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (review)
The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis (review pending)

Uncompleted Books:

Heather's List:
Drood by Dan Simmons
Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris
The Spiritualist by Megan Chance
Ireland by Frank Delaney

Ana's List:
Passion by Jude Morgan
Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine

Marg's List:
The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick
The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons
The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons

Kate's List:
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop
Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Amy's List:
Melusine by Sarah Monette
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch
Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja

Historical Tapestry Reading Swap:
Katherine by Anya Seton

Manga Challenge 2011

January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011

Hosted by Rhinoa.

My list:
1. Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakova
2. Chobits Volume 5 by Clamp
3. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Volume 2) by Bryan Lee O'Malley
4. Chobits Volume 6 by Clamp
5. One Piece Volume 4 - The Black Cat Pirates by Eiichiro Oda
6. Chobits Volume 7 by Clamp
7. Nightschool: The Weirn Books Volume 2 by Svetlana Chmakova

Challenge Status: COMPLETED!

2011 Aussie Author Challenge

January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011

Hosted by Booklover Book Reviews.

Books Read:
1. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan - Completed March 4, 2011
2. The Infinity Gate by Sara Douglass - Completed July 28, 2011
3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton - Completed October 29, 2011

Challenge Status: COMPLETED!

Historical Fiction Challenge

January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011

Hosted by Historical Tapestry.

My List:
1. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
2. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear
3. The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord Brown
4. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
5. Correspondence: An Adventure in Letters by N. John Hall
6. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin
7. Outlander (Outlander Series, Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon
8. The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff
9. The Legacy by Katherine Webb
10. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
11. Next to Love by Ellen Feldman
12. Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow
13. Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

Challenge Status: COMPLETED!

Essay Reading Challenge
January 1, 2011 - November 30, 2011
Hosted by Carrie.

My List:

1. That's the Way we Roll by Neil Peart
2. Every Road Has Its Toll by Neil Peart
3. Shunpikin' it Old Skool by Neil Peart
4. Haste Ye Back by Neil Peart
5. The Hour of Arriving by Neil Peart
6. The Best February Ever by Neil Peart
7. South by Southwest by Neil Peart
8. When the Road Ends by Neil Peart
9. Independence Day by Neil Peart
10. The Drums of October by Neil Peart

BONUS:
11. December in Death Valley by Neil Peart
12. A Winter's Tale of Summers Past by Neil Peart
13. The Quest for the Phantom Tower by Neil Peart
14. Under the Marine Layer by Neil Peart
15. A Little Yellow Cabin on Yellowstone Lake by Neil Peart
16. The Ballad of Larry and Suzy by Neil Peart
17. Autumn Serenade by Neil Peart
18. Fire on Ice by Neil Peart
19. Time Machines by Neil Peart
20. Theme and Variations by Neil Peart
21. Cruel Summer by Neil Peart
22. The Power of Magical Thinking by Neil Peart

Challenge Status: COMPLETED!

Ireland Challenge 2011
January 1, 2011 - November 30, 2011

Hosted by Carrie.
My list: NOTHING!

Challenge Status: FAILED!

The TwentyEleven Challenge
January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2011
Hosted by Darren:

Challenge Status: COMPLETED!

It's my Blogiversary!

2011-12-16T00:01:00.006-04:00

*ahem*

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Written World,
Happy Birthday to you!

That's right, folks. Today is my blogiversary. I have been blogging for 6 years! I always find my blogiversaries a bit scary. I think about all the time and energy I have spent blogging, visiting blogs, messing around with my template, avoiding my Google Reader, tweeting, and all the other wonderful things that come along with blogging. Not to mention all the reading I have done, recommendations I have acted on, and review copies that I have received. I can safely say that pre-blogging I had a very manageable TBR pile. I can no longer say that... It has all been so much fun, though! I am very happy that I became a Blogger.

When I wrote up my post the other day for Trish's survey I went to double-check when my blogiversary was. I am horrible at blogging at December and more often than not entirely forget to blog about the day. I actually had another post scheduled for today and hastily moved it to another. Back in 2009 I wrote a post called The Changing Face of Book Blogging. I thought since it had been 2 years since I wrote that post I would look back at some of the things that I said.

At the time I wrote the post I think the whole disclosing where a book came from scandal was going around the blogosphere. That was 2009, right? Since then it has been joined by many more issues. In 2009 I said that I hated that they even had to be there, but they are probably always going to be. I still continue to mostly stay out of things. I am not enough of a 'voice' in blogging to really weigh in most of the time anyway. I have always done my best to meet new people, but also stay on the outskirts at the same time.

The longest paragraph in 2009 is still something that I hate about blogging today. Blogging is not a popularity contest. It was always supposed to be a community. It used to be smaller, so maybe this was more manageable. Nowadays it is sometimes an online version of high school. Not surprisingly I hated high school. Sometimes I hate blogging. I was reading a post on Beauty is a Sleeping Cat and in the comments she referenced the The Book Blog Mafia. I was horrified. She is a relatively new blogger and she thinks that some of the 'older' bloggers act smug and superior. I would hate for this to be the opinion held by new bloggers. Do I think she has a point? Well, yes... And that in a nutshell is what urks me about blogging at times. Obviously her post is about something entirely different, but I got stuck on one random comment. Probably because I am an 'older' blogger and I would hate for my blog to come across as anything but a friendly place to visit.

Caroline ended her post by saying that she blogs to connect. That's why I blog! That's why 90 percent of the time I ignore the scandals. That's why I just stop reading blogs when they start bothering me. I have made some very wonderful friendships in 6 years of blogging, and the best thing of it all is, I continue to make new friends! I get so excited when I receive emails, Christmas cards, ocassional presents, etc. from the people I have met through my little blog. I even still get excited when I receive comments. I love comments!

So, ladies and gents, thank you for 6 years of blog visits. Thank you for the comments, the emails, and the chats on Twitter. Thanks for the books and the recommendations. I really do hope that even with a few hitches along the way, we can continue to be a large community that is continuously welcoming to new bloggers and visitors. This is an experience that I wouldn't honestly trade for anything and other people deserve the right to enjoy it. Here's to many more years of blogging at this little blog...

On an entirely different note, I think 2012 is going to have to bring a template change. I have been using the same one for years and only had one other before that, so.... Look forward to that! Once I find someone techno enough to do said template change. Any volunteers?

Tuning in on Thursday - Week 6

2011-12-15T12:01:00.003-04:00

I missed last week, so now I am probably going to forget to talk about a few things... I should have written things down! Let's see how I make out...

Older Shows

NCIS - We watched maybe one or two episodes of NCIS, but then the other night when it was time to watch something I put a movie on. I just need a change. We will probably resume our re-watching in the New Year.

Bones - I have paused on watching this show. I have too many things that I want to do, so I will probably pick this back up in the New Year, too. I have been dropping many, many hints about getting the seasons of this show on DVD. I don't think they registered...

Big Love - I also paused on this show. I never even finished the first season... I got a bit distracted with other things, but I do at least want to see how it plays out. I will have to find a bit of time for it soon.

Sherlock Holmes - I am not sure where to put this, so I will stick it in here. I decided to finally watch the show that is done by the BBC. I mentioned that I was and now I am buddy watching it with Suey from It's All About Books. I watched the first episode a few nights ago and really enjoyed it. Suey has caught up with me so I should be watching episode 2 tonight or tomorrow.

New Fall Shows

Once Upon a Time - I continue to love this show! I am amazed that every Sunday I watch this show with the guy. This is a very unheard of thing. For one thing, I didn't expect him to even like the show. Then, there is the actual sitting down to watch a show when it is actually on. There is one Sunday a month where the guy is at work for it, but otherwise we are religious watchers.

Grimm - I think we are an episode behind in this show. Friday nights are just a bad night for planned television watching. We will have to catch-up sometime soon. I don't think we are going to be home for this weeks episode either.

Movies

This is where my memory will have to start working...

The Muppets - This is the new movie that is playing at theatres. We went to see it a couple weeks ago. I was very happy to get a chance to see it in theatres. I don't go to the theatres very often, so you know a movie is special when I make the effort (and pay the ridiculous price). It was fun to visit with old friends. It really is The Muppets for a new generation, though. The voices are different. I just can't imagine The Muppets without Frank Oz, for example, but the newer generation wouldn't really know any different. I think they should have made more of this franchise when they had the chance.

This was one of my favourite parts of the movie (this is changed a bit):

Muppet Family Christmas - You can actually watch the entire thing on YouTube. When they released it on DVD they didn't include some of the songs because they didn't want to pay the fees, but this is the original movie in its entirety. I was so excited! I'll probably watching it again with the guy because he was saying he hadn't seen that movie in ages. It was just a nice trip down Memory Lane.

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson - Jim Henson makes a cameo at the end of the movie above, so it got me thinking about him. I found out that this was made. I probably have seen it before, but it was so long ago I only have vague memories. I think he would have really enjoyed his tribute. It also lead me to finding this video, which everyone should watch:

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years - It is hard to believe that The Muppets are now 50 years old. I think it was a bit disappointing that more of a big deal wasn't made about it. It really was just a money-making period by releasing the older movies on DVD. I appreciate that, but I still think they should have had some fun with it. I really wish Jim Henson had lived longer. As you can tell the new movie put me in a Muppet mood. I still have to watch Muppet Christmas Carol and I am getting Muppet Treasure Island for Christmas. I just love Jim Henson. I have his other movies, too. I collect them every time they are released on DVD.

Moving on...

A Single Man - I am a bit of a thief, but I am attempting to broaden my music and movie horizons. On Wednesday's I have been posting about music that Ana recommended for Debi. And, well, I have also been browsing the movie selections. I really hope Debi doesn't mind! Anyway, Chris recommended this movie for her and I really like Colin Firth. Apparently this movie had some award buzz. Did I mention I live under a rock? I probably did hear about it, but I didn't pay attention. I really liked this movie, though. It was a very different movie for Colin Firth, but he acted in it very well and the movie itself was overall done well. (And, wow, what a contrast from The Muppets!)

I know there were probably more, but I can't remember.

And, you know what? I can tell you easily where my love of science-fiction came from: Star Trek. I have always struggled with an answer for the fantasy question, but it is so apparent now... Jim Henson. Have you ever seen the greats like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth? (Also, watching the Jim Henson Tribute reminded me that I have misplaced my DVD of The Storyteller. That is sad...) Anyway, he was my earliest influence, so it is easy to trace him from those movies to my fantasy reading. I bet you needed to know that desperately, right? And, yes, I am bit of a nerd. Puppets are cool, though!

Moving back on the correct subject, I came across a challenge tonight that fits with my current goal of attempting to broaden my movie horizons. It is called The 2012 Movie Madness Challenge.

Guidelines:

· Record each movie you watch. You don’t have to review any or all of them but at the end of each month make a post with the list of movies you have seen that month and a final tally of 2012 to help keep track of it all.

· There are four levels in which you can attempt to achieve:
25 Movies: Movie Newbie
50 Movies: Movie Fanatic
75 Movies: Movie Critic
100+ Movies: Movie Master

· Mini Series count but only as ONE movie, as do Television Series (the entire series and not just single episodes)

· The movies don’t need to be new, old favorites also count.

· We will post a monthly update at both The Talking Teacup and A Girl, Books & Other Things where you can also share your progress in the comments if you are not a blogger, and we will show last months leaders and what not.

· Have fun with this guys!

My List:
1. 16 Blocks (Watched January 6, 2011) (review)
2. The Invasion (Watched January 6, 2012) (review)
3. 28 Days (Watched January 7, 2012) (review)
4. Mercury Rising (Watched January 8, 2012) (review)
5. Gothika (Watched January 9, 2012) (review)
6. Horrible Bosses (Watched January 14, 2012)
7. Valkyrie (Watched January 15, 2012)

I still haven't made up my mind about book challenges for 2012, but I am going to join this one for sure. I think I will sign-up for Movie Newbie, watch 25 movies, and then take it from there.

If you are interested in joining yourself the information is all found over here.

I will probably keep these posts up in 2012... If anyone is bored I wouldn't mind a button for it...

What Are You Listening to Wednesday - Week 5

2011-12-14T19:10:00.004-04:00

I am a bit late in the day getting this post up because the guy is working back shifts and was asleep for most of the day. I figured I would wait until he was awake and I could properly listen to the songs for this week.

The Songs for This Week Are:

O.K. With My Decay by Grandaddy
Go Long by Joanna Newsom
Tear in Your Hand by Tori Amos
Virus by Bjork
Thickets by Patrick Wolf

I was a bit 'meh' with last week and I felt bad. I think if this week was the same I probably would have thrown in the towel because Ana is a friend and I don't want to write posts about how I don't like her music. This week started off much better than last week, though. I really enjoyed the first song. I was intrigued by it when I glanced at my song choices for this week because that is an interesting name for a song. The song itself turned out to be really good. The video is terrible... I am thinking I will be exploring Grandaddy a bit more.

Moving on... The next artist is Joanna Newsom. The music is beautiful and I really enjoy the lyrics, but I don't like her voice... That disappoints me because she seems rather intriguing judging by this one song. Maybe I would like her voice better on a different song? I see she has lots to choose from. (I got a bit distracted and explored this idea a bit. Frankly, I don't like her voice, but the music is wonderful. I think I will have to see if her voice grows on me.)

And then there is Tori Amos. She is a singer I have heard lots about between bloggers and Neil Gaiman. Her songs even play a part in the short story collection Fragile Things. I explored the CD that was mentioned at the time and I didn't really get the big appeal. I have since explored her a bit more, like with this song, and she is way better than I thought. I can see why Chris, Ana, Carl, etc all really seem to enjoy her music. And, the best thing is that I like her voice, she has written wonderful lyrics, and the music is beautiful. It is the full package.

The next musician is Bjork. I had actually heard of her before, but I don't know if I have ever heard anything by her. The funny thing is that I am playing the music through our surround sound system and the one where most of the talking (or singing in this case) would be focused was pointed at where Casey was sleeping. I think she was trying to figure out what the noise was. I am not sure if that makes her pro or against Bjork. I personally would have to listen to more of her songs to really say with any assurance. She's not terrible, but the weird noises in the background are a bit to get used to.
I couldn't find a decent video on YouTube for this song.
And lastly we have Patrick Wolf. He is very intriguing I must say. It is almost like the music is doing one thing and then he is singing something entirely different. I am not so sure how to explain. I am really curious about him now. I got a bit distracted listening to a couple of his other songs and I am not entirely sure what I think yet. I just like it because, for me at least, it has a very different sound from the 'norm'.

This music project is a lot of fun. I think if I went back and listened to last weeks music now I would have an entirely different thought about it. I seem to be in a different mood this evening. I look forward to the songs for next week!

So, has anyone else listened to any of the songs I have been talking about? Thoughts?