Natalie's reads in 2012 :)

New year, new thread! I'm back at school again as of this morning. Haven't managed to read anything yet this year, but when I do there'll be a list in this post. I don't really have any specific goals this year aside from my usual of reaching 100 books, which I managed last year by reading 102 :)

As in past years, I'll probably stick to my mix of classics, fantasy, YA, and general fiction. With maybe some French thrown in.

Happy reading!

Hi Nathalie! Starred, of course.

Good to see you again! I can't quite remember if I let you know, but you're starred, too :)

Aw, thanks! Hope your first day of classes went well.

hi Nathalie
starred you, because of the books in common, but for the lovely gentle giant Finn too ;-)
Anita

Thanks for the link, Nathalie. Good reading to you! So far this year, I've read half of The Night Circus and a million threads!

Glad to see you enjoyed Wide Sargasso Sea when you read it at the end of the year. I gave it 4 stars when I read it in 2010.

Welcome back!

Glad to see you joining us again, Natalie!

I'm pretty excited about this year's reading as well. I just finished The Night Circus and loved it!

Seems like Night Circus is a very popular book at the moment. I am very nearly finished it and loving it as well.

The Night Circus sounds excellent! I'm going to have to check it out... eventually. Gahhh so much to do already and it's only the first week of classes.

Looking over the threads of the "75 in 2012 group" I 'stumbled' over your name (it's not so frequent, at least not where I come from, so I rarely meet other Nat(h)alies) and thought maybe I should follow your thread. So here I am, wishing you a Happy New Year and some good reading.

Hooray, another Nat(h)alie. Thanks for the interest! I'll have to check out your thread too.

Book number 1!

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce

Loved, loved, loved this! Loved the writing and the style and the progression and I know there are people who hate James Joyce but I've really liked everything I've read of him (Except his love letters oh god sorry if I spoil anyone's day...). Not that I'm going to tackle Ulysses anytime soon, but maybe someday.... A really good start to my reading year and a really good book to read while traveling all day. 5 stars.

Uncertain when I'll next be able to finish a book... class readings are sparse this term (only two books, I think) and I'm going to be pretty busy both academically and extracurricular-wise. But I'll do my best! And there're some long bus rides in my future, so hey, those could be used productively.

Thanks for encouraging me to make this book one of my 2012 reads. It has been on my shelf for at least two years. I read Ulysses in 2010 and Dubliners in 2011, but Joyce still scares me. It must have been that first page of Finnegans Wake I once looked at.

If you've read Ulysses I don't think Portrait should be a problem at all... Portrait sort of introduces a lot of the techniques that Joyce develops in Ulysses. Difficulty-wise, I think Portrait falls somewhere between Dubliners and Ulysses. Definitely pick it up!

Ugh! Joyce. *makes icky face* I'm glad someone loves him, Natalie, as long as it doesn't have to be me. ;) Hope you manage to squeeze in some downtime with all of that school and other commitments.

Congratulations on getting book #1 for 2012 out of the way, Natalie!

Whoo, just found you off the 'meet your fellow readers' thread... starred! Happy Reading Year to you!

102 books! That's fantastic.

21 - thanks!

Man, I've been absent... and really busy... and it doesn't look to be ending any time soon. I'll keep this short.

Book #2: The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Loved this so much! John Green writing from a girl's perspective was fascinating. He's also probably one of the only authors I know who could pull off a YA cancer book with a complete lack of triteness. 5 stars to you, Mr. Green, and I will continue buying all your books.

Book #3: Songs of Innocence and Experience - William Blake
Read for my Romanticism class. I'm not a huge fan of Blake - I think he's fine, I like some of his poems, but there are other Romantic poets I'd much rather read and analyze. 3 stars.

>22 curioussquared: Oh man, some of William Blake's stuff is just so weird. I much preferred the novels we did in my Romanticism class, but I definitely rocked a paper on Rime of the Ancient Mariner. As for the John Green book, my copy came with no signature (sigh) so I started reading it while waiting to hear from Amazon, who are now sending me a replacement copy, but stopped reading until I get the copy I'll actually keep. However, the first few chapters were really excellent and I'm itching to get back to it.

I've been teeerrible here, everybody! Both in how much I've read and how much I've posted. I suppose the two go together, though, and to be fair, I've been busier than I can ever remember being. And it's not over yet!

But, to finish off January:

4. Milton - William Blake
I think this may have been what you meant when you said that some of Blake's stuff is "weird," Mickey! I didn't enjoy this at allll. In short summary: Blake, as a prophet, says that John Milton will come down as a sort of Jesus figure from heaven and save us all from Satan. Also there is this girl who is the female version of Milton, Milton hides in Blake's foot, and the big showdown takes place on Blake's front lawn.

Yeah, I don't get it either. Anyway, I feel comfortable counting this (and my next read) as a book because I haaave been reading a lot, just excerpts of stuff. Even though it's technically an epic poem sort of thing. 3 stars.

5. The Giaour - Lord Byron
Less weird than Milton, one of Byron's lesser-known epics. Entertaining, interesting to read - notable for the style in which it's told, out-of-order fragments, meant to resemble some long-lost foreign story. 3 stars.

And to start of February:

6. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
One of those things I should have read before - so glad I finally have! I really enjoyed this, and talking about it in class is great, too. I'm finding the God/Adam Slave/Master relationships going on really fascinating and, while I really should have read it before, I guess I'm glad I'm reading it somewhere I get to talk about it. 5 stars.

Aaaand that's it. Only 6 and we're halfway through February - I fear for my chances of 100 by the end of the year! Especially since I'm applying for an internship that would have me in Chicago over the summer, away from my plentiful bookshelves. We'll see!

Currently I'm reading a couple things. Just bought a copy of Young Romantics to write a review on for class, am most of the way through Born in Blood and Fire for my Latin American History class, and couldn't resist starting The Last Unicorn about a week ago, although I fear it will be awhile before I can get back to it. I'm also still reading The Sun Also Rises... which I started the second week of January.

As I said before, I've been too. busy.

I read Frankenstein for the first time in a Romanticism class too, which I think played such a huge role in why I loved it. The process was intensive when I was it, but there are some novels where I really miss the opportunity of then going into a classroom setting and really digging into the themes, imagery, and the larger context. Don't worry about not checking in as often, do it when you can. LT will still be here when your schedule clears up a little bit. :)

I also loved John Green's book The Fault in our Stars. It was incredible. I read Looking for Alaska but it didn't resonate like his most recent gem.

Micky - exactly! Glad to know you loved Frankenstein just as much as I did :) And I know, I know, LT will still be here - I just wish I had to time to stay updated, let alone the time to read!

Whisper - Glad to find more The Fault in Our Stars fans! I don't know if I could choose my favorite John Green book - all I know is that it's not Paper Towns. But Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and The Fault in Our Stars are all up there together, all for different reasons. This is a good problem to have, I suppose.

Milton sounds like a very weird dream!

28 - Almost more of a nightmare than a dream. I kid, it's not that bad; I just had no patience for it.

Astonishingly, I have finished a book! It's for school, so I suppose it's not that astonishing.

7. Young Romantics - Daisy Hay

A really interesting, entertaining group biography of the second generation Romantic poets and their social circle. Hay's main purpose in this book was to show that, while the Romantics liked to present the image of the lone poet declaiming his poetry from some isolated rock, they were more influenced by their friends and companions than they liked to admit. While I'm not sure Hay accomplished this quite to the extent she would have liked to, Young Romantics is still an extremely entertaining portrait of a fascinating group of poets, writers, and artists and learning the histories of these great figures in literary history was, I felt, really valuable. 5 stars, and highly recommended! Now to write my paper on it...

>29 curioussquared: Biography sounds intriguing. Good luck on the paper!

Finished another book! ...for class.

8. Born in Blood and Fire - John Charles Chasteen
The textbook for my Modern Latin American History class. While this book was very readable and accessible, and that had been the author's main goal, I felt that in increasing accessibility they decreased a lot of the detail and specifics. The whole thing felt big picture, with no focus on anything particular. Since I'd gone into the class with some questions and curiosity about some specific stuff, this was a little disappointing. An okay read, but I wanted more. 3 stars.

Spring break! Time to lounge around and read! Made it through Winter Term and this is my reward. Haven't read much yet (boyfriend was visiting), but I have a few books to update from quite awhile ago.

9. The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway
Started it in January, finished it in March. Ouch. But hey, at least I finished it. And I enjoyed it, too. 4.5 stars.

10. O pays, mon beau peuple! - Ousmane Sembene
My Cameroonian French professor chose this as my Translation class's final project - we were each assigned parts to translate into English. It was okay, I suppose, but this just added to my distaste for my professor: I didn't think it was very appropriate for a beginning translation class. Not the best. 3 stars. .

I'm continuing with The Last Unicorn and I've started The Master and Margarita after numerous recommendations, so I hope to finish those soon. I've missed having time to read.

Hi Natalie! Spring break sounds good - enjoy! :-)
I just finished A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and you were right in your post #17 - it leads up to Ulysses quite well. I wish I had read them in the right order. I'll move Ulysses very carefully towards my to-be-reread pile.

The Master and Margarita has been on my tbr for a while now, I'll see how you like it.

Any completed extracurricular reads during school are always a win no matter how long it takes you. Hope your break is nice and relaxing. :)

I'm glad you enjoyed Portrait, Nathalie! And I'm impressed - REreading Ulysses? Possibly the first time I've ever encountered such an idea. Good luck! I'll be sure to post my thoughts on The Master and Margarita once I get through it.

Thanks, Micky! I know you're right, of course, but I do wish I had more time to read. As does everyone else, I suppose.

simply stopping by and waving hi.

Hello to you too, Linda! Thanks for stopping in :)

11. The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle

It's been far too long since I read any fantasy and this was perfect for getting back into it. This is a lovely story, beautifully written, and I can see why it's beloved of many. We've had beautiful weather here, and this book was perfect to read lying out in the sun. I can't imagine why I haven't read it before; I'm just glad I've finally read it now. 5 stars.

So, so neglected :( Finished 12. Roxana by Defoe for my 18th century lit class a few days ago; some interesting stuff. I'm most excited about it because I think I'm going to do my term paper on something related to Roxana and Coetzee's representation of the character in his novel Foe. (side note: awesome! LT gives the full title in the touchstone, haha.)

Am literally less than 30 pages from the end of The Master and Margarita but simply have not had the time. Hopefully this weekend; we'll see. Have a paper due tomorrow and a French paper due Monday and I'm in Minnesota for a quizbowl tournament over the weekend.

I'm just a little overrun. But I can say that the majority of The Master and Margarita has been fantastic, for those wondering!

Nice to hear from you, Natalie! Wishing you much luck with those papers.

Oh, man, it's been months. Not sure if anyone's even still reading this thread. Not going to bother reviewing everything, but I'll list all I've read since early April - sadly not as much as I like, but oh well! I'm done with my sophomore year of college. I've escaped with what I'm pretty sure is all A's and am up $1300 due to compensation for being bumped to a flight 4 hours later on my way home. Here's the list:

13. The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov
14. Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (aka Fanny Hill) - John Cleland
15. O.K. Joe - Louis Guilloux
16. Foe - JM Coetzee
17. Rachel's Secret - Shelley Sanders
18. Fantomina - Eliza Haywood
19. The Female Quixote - Charlotte Lennox
20. Evelina - Frances Burney
21. Soulbound - Heather Brewer
22. My Antonia - Willa Cather

Anything 18th century up there was read for my English class, including Fanny Hill; not my favorite century but I had a professor who's an expert in it and knows exactly how to make it fun. O.K. Joe was read for my French class (in French); interesting, but I don't know if I'd really recommend it. My Antonia is the first book I've read since being home! I got a lovely dual edition with O Pioneers! for Christmas and I'm finally able to get into it. I'm not really a pioneer book person; I was never a big Little House on the Prairie fan, but Cather's prose is gorgeous and makes you see everything she's writing. Reading O Pioneers! asap.

Went to the library and got a bunch of books I've had on hold, too:

Travesties - Tom Stoppard
The Magicians - Lev Grossman
The Flame Alphabet - Ben Marcus
Unnatural Issue - Mercedes Lackey

So I've got a lot of reading to do! I start work sometime soon, but that shouldn't stop me much :)

Oh, we're still reading! Nice list.

Looks like you've been doing some serious reading, but now you are ready for some fun with your library books! Is your semester over?

41 - Thanks!
42 - Yep! I finished about a week ago now. It's good to be done.

23. O Pioneers! - Willa Cather
Very similar in tone and plot to My Antonia, but in no way unenjoyable. Cather makes the desolateness of the prairie beautiful - no easy feat. And her characters are just lovely. I have The Song of the Lark around somewhere, but I think I'll wait awhile before reading more Cather :)

Started The Magicians last night! I'm really liking it so far. Hopefully that keeps up, as I've heard great and terrible reviews.

Yay, you survived! Happy to see you back among the LT crowd. :D

44 - Thanks! :)

24. The Magicians by Lev Grossman

If you hear The Magicians is a book about a boy at magic school and pick it up expecting Harry Potter, you're out of luck. Lev Grossman has written a brilliant response to Harry Potter, Narnia, and all the rest - a fantasy novel for grown-ups. The Magicians is quite dark and not very pretty. The message is very, very clear: magic isn't and can't be everything you want it to. Grossman simultaneously dispels the notion that magic can do anything and exposes evils in the real world; The Magicians is both a fantasy tale and a biting satire. Really, really great stuff, although I can see how people expecting a typical fantasy novel would be surprised and disappointed. I loved it, though, and immediately put the sequel on hold at the library upon finishing. 4.5 stars!

Yay for enjoying books! :)

Man, I'm not even good at updating this during the summer. The whole family went out of town for a little under a week and then my boyfriend was in town for about 5 days immediately after, so I've been nicely busy. And the weather is finally getting nice so I'm working more often! But really, no excuses :)

25. Unnatural Issue - Mercedes Lackey

I'm a sucker for Lackey - I just can't seem to stop reading her books. I've always enjoyed the Elemental Masters series but the last one I read (was it The Wizard of London? I can't remember) seemed a little lackluster. This one was a bit more satisfying. 3.5 stars.

26. The Flame Alphabet - Ben Marcus

Really, really good stuff here. Marcus explores the power of language in really literal ways, imagining what would happen if our very words were poisoned. A lot more chilling than I expected - Marcus doesn't hold back and parts are hard to get through just because of that. 4 stars.

27. Travesties - Tom Stoppard

Got this out of the library when I heard that it was a sort of parody of The Importance of Being Earnest and it was the parts most like The Importance of Being Earnest that I enjoyed most. Otherwise it was so-so; I don't think it's the type of play that should be read, generally.

28. The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson

It's been a long, long time since I've read a new YA fantasy with as much enthusiasm as I read this one. Elisa is a wonderful character, the plot was new, the setting was different, and it all worked together perfectly. 4.5 stars.

I have quite a few books out of the library so I'll probably be working on those for awhile. Next up is The Night Circus, which is so far living up to the huge praise I've heard for it!

29. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Used my day off to finish this up. Just a gorgeous book, really. I don't know if I can think of anything to criticize. The entire thing was like a wonderful dream, floating and ethereal. I didn't want it to end. The amount of detail and the scope of the story paired with the dreamlike feel made this one of the best books I've read in a long time and definitely one of my favorites of the year. 5 stars.

I need to pick up my pace if I want to make it to 75 for the year, let alone 100. Gotta use summer to my advantage!

I just clicked over to the work page for The Flame Alphabet to find out a little more about it--what a weird and original premise!

Everyone keeps raving about The Night Circus. I probably should pick it up at some point.

49 - That's what made me pick it up in the first place, and I'm glad I did! Not sure if it was what I expected, though.

50 - Do it! It really is just as wonderful as everybody says.

30. Avalon High - Meg Cabot

You reminded me I wanted to read this when I saw the review on your thread, Micky! A fun read made less fun when I realized halfway through I'd somehow seen the film version at some point. Luckily the movie was changed enough that I didn't quite know everything that was going to happen, but it was still a disappointment. 3 stars.

31. Bossypants - Tina Fey

Tina Fey is one funny lady. I'm not a huge 30 Rock fan, but I really admire Tina Fey and thought I'd pick up her book just for the laughs. Glad I did! 4 stars.

I seriously need to pick up the pace if I'm going to reach 75 by the end of the year, let alone 100. Onward!

>52 curioussquared: Sorry to hear Avalon High wasn't as great a read as you'd hoped. How is the film? Is it worth tracking down?

53 - Not really, no. It's a Disney channel original, so that should tell you something. I did enjoy the book, I was just disappointed that I sort of knew what was going to happen already.

>54 curioussquared: I get that. I have that moment sometimes with books and I have to figure out if I've read it before, seen an adaptation, or if it's just the plot is too predictable.

32. A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway

I just adored this. I haven't read a ton of Hemingway but I've really enjoyed what I have, so I'll probably look into more soon. Anyway, I read this right after taking a class where we talked about the Lost Generation and watching Midnight in Paris, so I was sort of perfectly set up for it. His depictions are just so vivid and singular that I spent the whole time longing to be sitting in some cafe in Paris. I was sad in some chapters and laughing hysterically in others (namely the one where Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald drive together from Lyon to Paris). Really wonderful stuff for anyone with an interest in France. 5 stars.

33. The Returning - Christine Hinwood

This novel felt like two separate books to me. The first half was unbelievably slow - every time I tried to get into it (which, to be fair, was usually fairly late at night after a long day at work), I ended up asleep after not very many pages later! I think the slowness worked with the book and had a reason for being there, but it did make it rather difficult to get into. However, after I got about halfway through and things started happening, I couldn't put it down - I was up 'til 2:30 last night marathoning the last half after having spent the precious week trying to get into it. That said, Hinwood has created a beautiful book with a clearly fully realized world and deep, real characters - pick up this book if you have a little time to settle into it. 3.5 stars.

Hopefully my next two books don't take me quite as long! I'm still just appalled when I look at my count. In a week I'm leaving for 9 days to go to Chicago to visit my boyfriend and friends there. I'll have some uninterrupted reading time on the plane and expect to have some downtime while there, so we'll see how that affects my speed :) But I'm also just really excited! I love Chicago.

34. Haroun and the Sea of Stories - Salman Rushdie
Just lovely. A sort of modern-day fable filled with humor that reminded me of nothing so much as The Phantom Tollbooth. I simply must read more Rushdie. 4.5 stars.

35. The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater

36. The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams

37. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

Back from Chicago! A wonderful 9 days filled with good company, lots of food, shopping, sightseeing, and culminating in a scorching hot day at Lollapalooza. Cloudy, mid-60s Seattle is kind of a shock after more than a week of perfect mid- to high 80s in the midwest.

Of the three books I completed on my trip, I'd have a hard time picking a favorite. They were all so different and so equally good! The Scorpio Races goes on my list of really really good YA, The Glass Menagerie is just a classic and completely proved its status as such, and I don't think I've read a book as fast I did Ready Player One for ages - one of those truly can't-put-down situations.

I've been enjoying a remarkably good stretch of reading, and it looks set to continue as I'm 100 pages into Love in the Time of Cholera. This'll be my first Garcia Marquez and so far I'm entirely impressed.

Re: A Moveable Feast: This also made me want to read more Hemingway (much more so that reading The Old Man and the Sea in high school). My book club read The Paris Wife this summer, and it was a real disappointment after A Moveable Feast.

Some great reads in your latest lineup. I must get to Ready Player one. Have you heard of Erebos, it's also on my tbr pile and I think it might be similar to RPO.
I loved Love in the time of cholera when I read it years ago, very much a favourite all time read.

59 - I think I may have read them in the right order - I read The Paris Wife before I read A Moveable Feast and really enjoyed both of them :)

60 - I haven't heard of Erebos but I'm intrigued! It looks a bit darker than Ready Player One - RPO has a very light tone throughout.

Still working on Love in the Time of Cholera, but finished a reread yesterday:

38. The Oathbound - Mercedes Lackey

Enjoyable as always - one of my comfort reads.

39. The Oathbreakers - Mercedes Lackey
Couldn't read one without the other, right?

40. The Magician King - Lev Grossman
Possibly better than the first one! Grossman really bends the limits of the traditional fantasy quest here and I enjoyed every minute of it. Really brilliant stuff. 4.5 stars.

41. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
Took me awhile to get back into Roth's world, but I loved this once I remembered what was going on! Exciting and fast-paced. One criticism - I know it's aimed at young adults, but come on, people, make the font a tiny bit smaller and save some trees. A book with 525 pages shouldn't have taken me approximately 5 hours to get through - I'd allot weeks for that! 4 stars.

Next, I'm diving into A Game of Thrones to see what all the fuss is about. Love in the Time of Cholera, sadly, has been put on hold til I finish my library books - can't take those with me when I leave for school!

42. A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin
Took me just under a week to get through this tome, but I suppose that's to be expected with a book of this side. It was a week well spent - it's been a long, long time since I've been so immersed in such a detailed fantasy world. Martin is an expert storyteller - although I can see how some fans are worried that he's going to run out of characters to kill at some point. I've already arranged to borrow the 2nd book from a friend when I get back to school :) I'm very interested in the TV show, but don't want to run into any spoilers - anybody able to tell me what the first season covers in terms of the book?

Next is either Waiting for the Barbarians or Kafka on the Shore, I still haven't decided. I'm almost finished with Love in the Time of Cholera, too - it got some love when I was on the go this week since A Game of Thrones is rather unwieldy. Gonna try and squeeze one more book into August, perhaps three more before I head back to school on the 7th!

43. Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

What an absolutely gorgeous book. Garcia Marquez is an incredible writer. I'm going to have to take another crack at One Hundred Years of Solitude; I only made it about 50 pages last time. Simply brilliant. 5 stars; I really am on a great reading run!

44. Waiting for the Barbarians - JM Coetzee

My 4th Coetzee and up there with Disgrace as a favorite. Coetzee has a way of laying out, simply and plainly and masterfully, the human condition. I must read more. 4.5 stars.

Almost done with Kafka on the Shore! I'm just flying through it. I'm not sure what's next; I might have to give up on the rest of my library books and start reading easily-transportable paperback books. I leave for school Friday morning!

Been too long since I checked in! I loved Haroun and the Sea of Stories and need to find the sequel to read. The Scorpio Races is waiting on my Kindle, and I really enjoyed Ready Player One even if the eighties weren't my decade--there was still enough that I recognized to make it fun. And The Oathbound and Oathbreakers are two of my very favorite Valdemar books too. Good reading! And best wishes for a good semester!

Good luck with school this year, Natalie!

Glad you liked Love in the Time of Cholera. I don't think I loved it as much as you did, but I did enjoy it enough that I do plan on tackling One Hundred Years of Solitude at some point in the future. :)

Roni - Thanks for the good wishes! The 80s weren't my decade either, but I enjoyed Ready Player One all the same :) And I had to stop myself from reading By the Sword, too - Lackey always manages to captivate me somehow.

Micky - Thanks! I hope you like One Hundred Years of Solitude, too.

45. Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami
I think I've fallen in love with Murakami's whimsical writing and crazy ideas - he presents absurd situations in a way that seems completely reasonable. Kafka on the Shore had everything a Murakami novel should (see: http://www.incidentalcomics.com/2012/06/haruki-murakami-bingo.html). I enjoyed it the whole way through, although I was a bit disappointed at the lack of explanation at the end - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle did the same thing, but it felt more complete for some reason. I definitely need to seek out more Murakami! 4.5 stars.

46. Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom - Susin Nielson
I realized I had a bunch of ER books to get to before I left so I had a little marathon! This was cute. Not my favorite, but it was well-written and Violet was a fun character. The characters really made this book - you could tell every single was completely developed. 3.5 stars.

47. Starring Arabelle - Hillary Hall de Baun
Another ER. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much. While Arabelle was fun to watch grow, the writing was sub-par and the high school setting was terribly unrealistic. I did find myself enjoying it more than I expected to, though. 3 stars.

The good news - school and everything associated with it has taken over my life in the best way possible and I'm busier than I can ever remember being. Busy to the point where only a few hours a day aren't scheduled and the ones that aren't have time for nothing but coursework.

The bad news - not a lot of time for books! All I've read since getting here was one for my English Novel class:

48. Pamela - Samuel Richardson
Not a big fan of this one. Pamela's an interesting exercise but not one I have any desire to explore again. 2.5 stars.

I spent today immersed in Tom Jones, which seems like an absolute riot compared to Richardson. More early English novels to come! If I keep going at this rate, I don't see myself finishing anything else but books for this class until Thanksgiving! Possession lies neglected on my shelf.

Glad your semester is going well, Natalie.

Thanks, Roni!

Hmm, I have Tom Jones sitting in my stack of books I own but haven't read yet. Maybe you'll motivate me to read it. :)

Glad classes are keeping you out of trouble, Natalie.

Thanks for stopping by, Micky! I'm not sure whether I'm enjoying Tom Jones on its own merit or just compared to Pamela! It does seem to get slower the further I get from Richardson. Still, it's very readable and humorous in its own 18th-century way, and I do think it's a good read for anybody interested in the history of the novel.

And I'm not sure I'd say classes are keeping me out of trouble... but they're certainly keeping me occupied ;)

Well, occupied is a second cousin of out of trouble (or so I hear). :) Enjoy all those thick novels.

I might be getting in trouble a bit more now... I turned 21 a week ago!

Finished Tom Jones last Wednesday! It's number 49. Man, I'm going to have to read a lot of short novels over winter break if I want to get anywhere near 75, let alone my usual goal of 100.

Anyway, Tom Jones. I enjoyed it overall; it was really quite funny at times. I would say it could have been shorter, but it's also so impeccably plotted and structured that I wouldn't want to mess with that. One thing we discussed in class was that all of the characters are types; none of them are round or really deep at all. So if you're looking for characterization, you might want something a bit more modern. But it's a very fun story!

Now we've moved on to Emma! I love Austen, but have only read half of her books in their entirety. Emma is one that I read about half of at one point and then stopped, so I'm very glad to be reading it now. About 2/3 of the way through; this is the best homework I've had in awhile.

I'm getting pretty good at this disappearing off the face of the earth thing. Anyway, since last time I've read:

50. Emma - Jane Austen
51. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
52. Middlemarch - George Eliot

Emma and Middlemarch were new to me, Oliver Twist was a reread, all were for my English Novel class. Sometimes I miss reading for fun... I adored Middlemarch, though. I'll have to read some more Eliot at some point.

Two more weeks in the term, one more required novel, and then I'm going back home! This term has gone ridiculously fast. Our last book will be Tess of the D'Urbervilles - then it's back to Possession for me, which I abandoned a little over eight weeks ago, and Dodger, which my friends bought me for my birthday and I haven't even been able to touch!

Hang in there, Natalie! I have a copy of Dodger I haven't gotten to yet either. But lucky you, to be reading it so close to reading Oliver Twist--you'll pick up all the references.

I knew it was Dickens-based, but I didn't realize it was specifically Oliver Twist! Now I'm almost pleased I was made to wait :) I suppose the title should have tipped me off... shows you how much attention I've been paying this book.

Oooh, your English novel class sounds like an absolute delight; you've had some really great reads. Hope the light at the end of term tunnel is getting a little brighter. :)

Micky - it has indeed been wonderful! Except for the Pamela bit. And it's taught by one of my absolute favorite professors, so that doesn't hurt at all. Definitely my favorite class this term.

After a hectic finals week, I'm home! I managed to secure a part-time job for the six weeks I'm here, but that's left plenty of time for reading so far :) Here's what I've finished since my last post:

53. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

I've got to read more Hardy - Tess was wonderful. 5 stars.

54. Dodger - Terry Pratchett

I absolutely loved this! This is probably the first non-Discworld Pratchett I've read that I enjoyed just as much as the Discworld stuff (excluding Good Omens, of course). A really great plot with fun historical cameos and trademark Pratchett humor is a perfect mixture. I hope he writes more like this! 5 stars.

55. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair - Pablo Neruda

I don't usually go in for poetry - sometimes I love it, but more often it's just not my thing. Not the case with Neruda! I think his stuff is just gorgeous, and my edition has the English and Spanish side by side, which I really like - it's fun to puzzle out the Spanish. 5 stars.

56. By the Sword - Mercedes Lackey

A reread - there's always something comforting about Mercedes Lackey. Kerowyn was always one of my favorite characters of hers, and I still have a soft spot for her.

57. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

Another reread, and a really lovely one. I can't remember the last time I read The Hobbit and this time was almost like looking at it with new eyes. Some bits were different from what I remembered, which was a little surprising! Now I have to be careful or I'll spend the rest of break rereading the whole trilogy....

58. Goose Chase - Patrice Kindl

This was a fun, quick read - you can't really go wrong with a Princess book. I'm sure I would have lapped this up in 3rd or 4th grade; as it was, I enjoyed it, I just enjoyed it really really quickly. 3.5 stars.

Wow, nice mix of reads, Natalie! I read Tess a few years back and enjoyed it but I haven't read anything else by Hardy but I really should. Thanks for the reminder. :)

would you believe, I STILL haven't managed to read Dodger, but I love your positive reaction! I'll be rereading The Hobbit next week, to get ready for the movie. I like Kerowyn too, but always liked Tarma and Kethry more for some reason.

No problem, Micky! I'm trying to decide which of his I'll read next - I expect it will depend on which one I find for a good price in a used bookstore first :)

Roni, it's funny - I think I used to like Kerowyn more, but having reread them all this year, I think I prefer Tarma and Kethry now. Maybe it's an age thing? Kerowyn is more of a coming of age story, anyway. But yes, Dodger is wonderful - and short! You won't regret squeezing it in :)

Well, in my case, Far From the Madding Crowd and The Return of the Native are on The List, so I'll probably end up reading them at some point.

Finished two books last night:

59. Mastiff - Tamora Pierce

I think this may have been my favorite of the Beka Cooper books. I've always enjoyed them, but not as much as Pierce's other books, which I've loved since elementary school. Mastiff was an intriguing mystery combined with a little bit of romance, which I liked - Beka's a little softer in this one, which I think is a little bit of my problem with the previous books. The only real issue I had with this one was Holborn, who seemed like a plot device never really needed or carried to fruition. I saw was Pierce was trying to do with him, but I honestly kept forgetting about him - he just wasn't important to the book. 4.5 stars.

60. Bunheads - Sophie Flack

This was some fun insight into life backstage in a ballet company - I'd assume it's based on real-life experiences as the author was a dancer for eight or nine years. I danced ballet until I hit 12 and realized it was never really going to work for me, and the experience was both one of the best and worst of my life. I'm far enough removed now that I really miss it sometimes, and Bunheads was a perfect little treat. A quick, romantic tale of one girl realizing there's more to life than ballet - maybe this should be required reading for girls once they're done with stories of prima ballerinas.

Now I've started Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. I'm really liking it; it's reminding me somewhat of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I have to read 15 more books this month if I'm going to hit 75 - ahhhh! I guess I'll just read and hope :)

It's all about the fluffy YA books in making it to 75. Also re-reads.

Yup, and maybe a few short Christmas books too, like A Christmas Carol!

Fluffy YA is definitely on my list. My real worry (and it shouldn't be a worry, because I'm really quite pleased they're coming) is because my boyfriend is visiting for the rest of this week starting tomorrow and one of my best friends is coming straight after - I'll be entertaining, not reading! But I'll do my best - and at work today I got to sit and read for 90% of the time! Best job.

That is an excellent job. :) And don't sweat making the 75. If you do, yay! If you don't, yay! You still are reading and it's about quality and not quantity. :D

Hi!! I have just found your thread & have really enjoyed your reviews. Several of your 2012 reads are now on my wish list!! :)

Have fun with the rest of your year's reading choices!

Micky - I know, I know, but I still want to make it! :D

Tina - thanks! Your thread looks interesting too :) Stick around! I'll be trying to squeeze a few more in this year.

88: I want your job. Ah, to read and get paid for it...that is the dream!

Marie - right?! Unfortunately it's only about one out of every six days that I can do that, but hey, it's better than nothing!

I've got a couple more updates:

61. Black Swan Green - David Mitchell

Black Swan Green tells the story of one year in the life of thirteen year-old Jason, documenting war and divorce and romance. I put this on hold at the library after I read an article claiming it should be the "new Catcher in the Rye" and was immediately justified in my decision the next morning when my favorite English professor recommended it as winter break reading. While I'm not sure I'd suggest this replace Catcher (and I definitely don't think Catcher's lost all its relevance yet), I really enjoyed it and I see where the article's author was coming from. It's definitely high-caliber YA with great storytelling, lovely writing, and engaging characters. 4.5 stars.

62. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

Really cute story! Of course, as a French major, I'm a sucker for this kind of thing; I was basically ridiculously jealous of Anna the whole time. 3.5 stars.

63. Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta

I've been hearing good things about this book for years and I figured I should finally pick it up. I was a bit disappointed at first! This was definitely a book of two halves for me. The first half I found boring, confusing, and hard to get into; it took me two days to get through it. The second half I couldn't put down and finished in an hour and a half - by the end I was in tears. I'm glad I pushed through to the end, but Jellicoe Road still didn't quite live up to my expectations. 3 stars.

Still have a ways to go! Next up is If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino, which I started last night. Really like it so far!

>93 curioussquared: Yay! Another fan for Anna and the French Kiss. Would you care to join me in swooning over St. Clair?

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler is probably my favourite po-mo novel ever (and I generally dislike po-mo). Looking forward to your final review.

94 - Um, of course. Why can't I just find some random French/British/American hybrid lying around? And I'm short enough....

94/95: Let's make it a St. Clair club! I loved his international-ness...swoon...

Yay! All are welcome to swoon over the St. Clair! :D

I literally finished the book and thought to myself, "If St. Clair was about 5 years older and real, I would be all over that." ;)

97: I thought the same thing Micky, and also if I were in an open marriage... :D

*snorfl*

Two more! Got a bit distracted from the Calvino, though :)

64. This Lullaby - Sarah Dessen

This was a reread, and a good one - on of my favorites of Dessen's novels, although I think The Truth about Forever still wins out.

65. The Killing Sea - Richard Lewis

Scanned my shelves last night for a short, easy book I hadn't read before and found this one. It's a story dealing with the 2004 Tsunami, and was fairly moving. It could have been a bit better written, but overall compelling and enjoyable. 3.5 stars.

Ahhhh still 10 books to go... it's really time to start pulling out the short rereads :)

I've read a few of Sarah Dessen's novels but I still haven't read The Truth about Forever yet. I will get around to it one of these days.

You don't have to go for short rereads. You just need fast rereads. ;)

Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics

I want to wish you a glorious celebration of that time of year when we all try to unite around a desire for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All. Merry Christmas, Natalie!

Merry Christmas, Natalie!

Merry Christmas, Natalie!

Thanks, guys! My Christmas was lovely; even though I only got one book, it's a good one - and really, I have so many to read already :)

I've been busy:

66. We Are So Crashing Your Bar Mitzvah - Fiona Rosenbloom

I received a free ARC of this a long time ago and never read it because it never looked very appealing. I picked it up looking for something short, which it was, but it was pretty disappointing. It was predictable and badly written, with implausible characterization, and I don't think I would have finished it if it had been any longer. 2 stars.

67. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler - Italo Calvino

I loved the premise of the book and the overarching plot, but its format and the way I was reading it made it very difficult for me to finish. I didn't have a lot of time to just sit down and read this one straight through, which I think would have improved it. Since about half the book is different first chapters of other books, it's naturally choppy, and the choppiness of reading only a few pages at a time made it very difficult to get into. Still a lovely story and gorgeous writing. 4 stars.

68. Shiva's Fire - Suzanne Fisher Staples

This was a reread; the story is just as good as I remember it.

69. The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan

I've had this one sitting around for awhile and never felt the need to pick it up. Now that I've read it, I enjoyed it, and I see why the series is so popular, but I don't think I'm going to be reading the rest. 3.5 stars.

70. The New Policeman - Kate Thompson

This is the exact opposite of We Are So Crashing Your Bar Mitzvah - I've had it for the same length of time, it's been waiting to be read, I've always thought it looked good but never actually looked into it - and now I'm wondering what I was waiting for! I adored this. It's a wonderful story, blending the perfect amount of Irish mythology with a story that's appropriate for kids and captivating for both kids and adults. Really lovely. 4.5 stars.

Five to go... I don't think I'm going to make it. But 70+ isn't bad :)

Five more days just means you have to do a book a day, Natalie. ;) Go for the graphic novels!

Glad you liked If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. I think that's quite possibly the only po-mo novel I have ever enjoyed.

71. The Last Dragonslayer - Jasper Fforde

Absolutely adored this, just like all the rest of his books. Always splendidly entertaining, and this one, his first for young adults, reminded me quite a bit of Diana Wynne Jones - nothing but the highest recommendation in my book. 5 stars.

72. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Rereading this reminded me why I liked it so much more than the sub-par movie. A satisfying return.

Still don't think I'm going to make it, but I've got a compilation of Ibsen plays here, which are fairly short, and I'm just going to see if I can make it through all three of them before the end of 2012 :)

I've never read Fforde and wouldn't know where to begin... Recommendations?

Start with The Eyre Affair, for sure! It's the first in his Thursday Next series of wacky literary detective novels and it's still my favorite.

Thanks! I'll wish list it now so I won't forget... :)

You can do it, Natalie! *shakes pompoms*

Here's to a great new year ahead, Natalie!

I did it! Against all odds and with a couple of short plays squeezed in on the plane ride yesterday, I did it!

73. Hedda Gabler - Henrik Ibsen

74. The Master Builder - Henrik Ibsen

75. The Wild Duck - Henrik Ibsen

I really, really like Ibsen.

Woo hoo! Congratulations, Natalie!

Way to go, Natalie!

And I've only read A Doll's House but I hear you on the Ibsen love. :)