Friday Reads - 1st Edition

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!