Estarriol's 2008 challenge

Okay, I am starting over to coincide with the new year. This year, I will read:
75 fluffy popular fiction books
30 classic/non-fiction books
This should be fun. I never thought it would be so fun to keep track! I love reading other people's challenges, too!
Yay 2008!

I left the last page until this morning so I could count it for 2008! Happy new Year, challengers!
1F.) T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
Excellent. I feel like there was a longer gap between this book coming out and several of the previous books, but it was well worth the wait. My favorite thing about this book is its limited first person perspective: The reader knows that Kinsey has made a plan, but we never know what the plan is until she puts it into action. This really ratchets up the suspense, for me. Kinsey is a very real female lead, not over the top at all. Good, good, good!

2F.) Isaac Asimov's Vampires from the magazine, not the man himself.
These were mostly really, really good. All of the stories were very original and exciting-there wasn't a single one that I didn't like. None of them were too scary for me, either, which is good. This was a great little book I picked up on a whim secondhand, and I am glad I did!

3F.) So many Books, so Little Time by Sara Nelson

I have mixed feelings about this. I really like the idea of this book, and I appreciate that the author reads books that are more intellectual as well as the "fluff' we all know I adore. But...although I like her premise and her plan, I am a little grouchy about the execution. She read way more than the 52 books promised (good!) but most of the books she read are never even mentioned in the text. She seems to only discuss books she hates (often very scathingly) and just lists the ones she likes in the appendix. hrmmph.
So, overall, I wish she had discussed the good more and the bad less. There are some minor irritating inconsistencies in the book (pointed out in reviews here and on amazon). On the other hand: look, I just wrote a whole paragraph about this book, I finished it in two days, AND I added about ten books to my wishlist in response to her criticisms. So not too bad after all.

4F.) Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

This was fun. A slightly more vulnerable heroine than in other books of the genre, a lot more drama and a lot less humor. I will check out the second book...

I keep meaning to try the Kitty series, but there are so many similar ones to this I haven't seen anything to make it stand out. What did you think?

Weeeellll...
The story wasn't as "tight" and well paced as some of the other series, and the secondary characters were not as fleshed out and interesting as they are in the Rachel Morgan books or the Mercy Thompson books. There are some intriguing differences in the folklore, though, that made for kind of a fun change...the mechanics of "shifting" are different in this book. I think...well, it was just good enough and the concept of Kitty's show was so original that I want to try the next one. This was definitely not a five star book, but it did have enough to keep it interesting. Does that help? I know I sound kinda wishy washy about it.

It's cool thanks, will wait and see what you think of the next one before getting around to it I think... Oh I picked up Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs the other day which I can't wait to read :)

1NF.) well, this is a children's book, but it is non-fiction, and I did read it for school. Medicine in the Middle Ages by Ian Dawson

What a fun book! This is our first week's reading for one of my history classes-I think reading a YA book like this before we buckle down is a great introduction to the subject. This little book reproduces lots of frequently seen medieval diagrams, e.g. Zodiac Man, Wound Man, etc. I will definitely NOT be giving this back to the bookstore at the end of the semester!

5F.) I finished a book! I finished a book! Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
I liked this better than the first book, Bitten. This got very fast paced and exciting about halfway through, made me finish it instead of getting to bed! This book also had one of those bad guy characters that you hate so much you want to throw the book out the window...

I think I liked this one the most so far of the series (I have the latest two to catch up on). Elena is a cool character, a little like Mercy in Patricia Briggs novels which always helps. I hope you enjoy Dime Store Magic with it's change in heroine.

Argh, I moved apartments and the stupid internet was out for a long, long, time. Here's what I accomplished:

6F.) Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong

I did like this! I really liked the way the author set up the story-although there are parts that are pretty predictable, she doesn't skimp on character development. The characters give reasons for acting, so the action is propelled through their decisions, not simply event after event. Pretty good- I am starting on the fourth book now.

Whoops, hit "post" too soon.
2NF.) Europe in the High Middle Ages by William Chester Jordan

I had some problems with this book. As a classmate pointed out, more maps! more detailed maps! would have been very helpful, particularly when discussing areas that had frequently shifting borders. Another problem is a lack of citations and footnotes. Some of his phrasing is a bit ambigous, and although there is a general "suggested reading" appendix, there are no specific citations. I am keeping this book, however: It really is a good overview of the area and time period that I would like to read again at my leisure.

Argh, did it again.

3NF.) Medieval and Early Renaissance Medicine by Nancy Siraisi

This is a fascinating book, with lots of pictures, tons of citations, and a bibliography to make your mouth water. I read it in a day and a half due to an unfortunate misreading of the syllabus, but it was interesting and informative, not terribly dry at all. LOTS of information in this book! This is another I will keep and reread when I have more time.

7F.) Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Man, am I reading slowly this year. I enjoyed this, although I preferred book three. I am looking forward to book five, but it may be a while; I am number fifty-something in line on paperbackswap!

8F.) Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

I know, ya don't get much fluffier than Stephanie Plum! She always cracks me up though...this particular episode had me rolling! Every time someone mentioned the cable company, another character would always respond, "those f***ers". Ridiculous and just what I needed.

4NF.) The Wages of Sin: Sex and Disease, past and Present by Peter Lewis Allen

I enjoyed this and thought it was generally well written. I am currently NOT, however, enjoying writing the five page book review on it (due tomorrow). Sob. Why am I fooling around on librarything in the face of this looming deadline? I'm off to finish...

edited for various idiocies

5NF.) Medicine and Society in Later Medieval England by Carole Rawcliffe

A great overview of a narrow period and geographical location. Rawcliffe discusses apothecaries, surgeons, women healers, and barbers in addition to university trained physicians.
I actually finished this about two weeks ago and forgot to enter it. oops.

9F.) The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony

I was stuck in bed for two days with a horrific cold and needed a comfort read. Piers Anthony definitely did the trick. Geez, I forgot how bawdy these are- I read this when I was a little girl! Most of it just sailed over my head at the time..

6NF.) The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe by Robert Steven Gottfried

Touchstones are having an off day. I liked this pretty well-it was readable, but I didn't like his historical perspective in some parts. Although he does work hard to provide a balanced perspective and include social history, he tends to present the fourteenth century in a bad light - on our modern terms, rather than on the terms of the time period. Just not my favorite approach - overall, it was good.

Of course, as usual, I would have liked it better with maps :)

Jeez, trying to catch up after being laid up with this illness...hopefully will enter a couple more school books this weekend!

10F.) Castle Roogna by Piers ANthony

A reread, of course.
What can I say, it's been a Xanth kinda month. Bah. Haven't entered any of my other reading because it has been all journal articles and parts of books - no coherent wholes.

7NF.) The Black Death by John Aberth

I enjoyed this, but it has the problem all of these sort of document collections has: while I got a lot out of the selections, it can be irritating to be given an abridged version of a historical document. I always wonder if the ellipses cover the most exciting or pertinent parts of the work...
Best part: Aberth's brief introductions contain more information than the whole book I just read by Gottfried!

11F.) Centaur Aisle by Piers Anthony
Yes, I am having a lovely time working my way back through the Xanth novels!

12F.) Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

hmm, this was alright. better than book one, which is a good thing, 'cause I already have book three! Some parts still fail to transition well (sometimes the chapters kind of clankily change subjects) but her character had a bit more personality in this one. I still feel some of her side plots could do with more fleshing out, a little suspense is not necessarily a bad thing! The dangerous situations come and go very quickly in these books. Overall...
Not a bad way to spend the first afternoon for just reading I've had in a while.

13F.) Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn

also alright. I am still reading these, despite their lack of complete awesomeness, so the author must be doing something right. Or maybe it's because most of my books live in inaccesible boxes right now, and these are in the fresh air.
I dunno. This story lacked something. Really, part of the problem is that the story is told from a first person perspective without much of the introspection and examination of motives that usually goes along with that. The events are not really very colored by the narrator; they are more just...told, like one would expect in a different sort of narration. Also, the story really could have gone deeper into some plot aspects; some of the occult stuff Vaughn mentions is interesting as hell, and it can be irritating when she just touches on these things in passing.
All said and done, though, these really are fun stories, as evidenced by the fact that I keep reading them!

14F.) Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut

My "purse book". A re-read, of course...one of my favorite Vonnegut novels. Dark and depressing, full of gallows humor, this book shows that no court can judge a person guilty or innocent of evil; we know the line between good and evil, and we can only judge ourselves.

15F.) Ogre, Ogre by Piers Anthony

Xanth, book 5.

I hope to give the Kitty novels a go, but I am not massively enthused about starting them to be honest. My husband really wants to read some Kurt Vonnegut so maybe I will suggest this to him as a starting point. Thanks for the reviews :)

Hi, Rhinoa! Yeah, Mother Night is a good Vonnegut, one of my favorites! You may also suggest Breakfast of Champions or Deadeye Dick, those were my introduction to Vonnegut and got me off and running! Ooh, or Player Piano, I believe that may be his first novel...(?)
Also, on the Kitty Norville novels; yeah, get them from the library first or borrow them from a friend, don't run out and buy them. They are just okay. Let me know what you think when you do try them!

And...
16F.) Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton

Another Agatha Raisin goofy adventure. I have read these totally out of order, but it doesn't really matter. A quick, fun, funny mystery- as usual.

8NF.) In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Touchstones are on vacation, apparently.

This was a pretty good read; some of the information I knew already, some of it I didn't know. I already have changed my diet significantly in the last year, so I am on board with most of the recommendations he makes about avoiding "fake" food and focusing too much on macro- and micro-nutrients. The section on food culture is why I wanted to buy this book in the first place; I agree with Pollan that the U.S. is sadly deficient in any sort of healthy food culture. We eat alone, we eat quickly, and we eat all the time. But, I believe a change is a-comin'; the more people refuse to eat tortured meat and fake food, the more humane practices and real food will emerge. And dinner time has made a comeback in my house, at least.

A very thought provoking book, highly recommended. It is really short, so even if you hate it, it's over quickly!

17F.) Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

Fairy tale characters driven from their homes by a faceless enemy create a shadow of life and a cohesive society in our world.
I am so, so, so glad I picked this up. I usually follow my brothers lead when it comes to comic books (yes, even though we are now 28 and 29, respectively) but I grabbed this even though he said he didn't like it. I LOVED this book; as anyone can see from my library, I love stories about stories, stories about characters, fables retold, and things of that sort. This was really nicely done, and the tight, plot driven story really provided a nice, easy introduction to the way that the story book characters had made a new life for themselves and how they interacted with one another.
The artwork is well done and perfectly complements the story. I can't wait to pick up volume two!

18F.) Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

This was quick and fun. I don't remember the slightly supernatural Diesel from earlier books, but then again I don't usually read the "between the numbers" adventures--and it has been a very long time since I read the first few books.
Good way to kill an evening!

I am really glad you enjoyed Fables. I have read the first two and hope to read 3 and 4 this year at least. From other peoples reviews the series gets better and better :)

Got to a couple on vacation:

19f.) Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came by M.C. Beaton
Another fun murder mystery starring the grouchy Agatha Raisin.

20F.) Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs

Another short book of tidbits of AUgusten Burroughs life. Funny and sad, like all his stuff.

21F.) Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

This book has reawakened my faded love of true fantasy novels. An amazing, original, beautiful story.

22F.) Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett

What can I say? Rincewind is awesome.

23F.) The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett

And more Discworld fun.

24F.) Post Office by Charles Bukowski

I have actually read this before, but it has been a long time. I love Bukowski's novels. must remember to check out Women.

25F.) Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate by M.C. Beaton

more Agatha Raisin zaniness. I've figured it out; she is a middle-aged, British Stephanie Plum.

26F.) The long anticipated....Thursday Next First Among Sequals by Jasper Fforde

Well, I loved it, even if the touchstones hate it! I can't wait until the next one, he left this one a bit of a cliffhanger...bah!

I really, really want another "Nursery Crime", truth be told.

Also, I finished Collapse! by Jared Diamond, but I can't really count it because I quit about twenty pages from the end. Have I listed this one before? It's hard to tell, it *literally* took me a year to read this flipping book. Many, many chapters were wonderful page-turners; the sections on the Vikings, on the Anasanzi, on the Easter Islanders, and on modern day Montana were jst wonderful. The "other stuff"...it just got a bit tedious. I know, the book police will probably come take me away for not totally loving a Jared Diamond book. I don't know what's wrong with me, I couldn't get past the introduction to Guns, Germs, and Steel either. Sigh.

27F.) The Once and Future King by T.H. White

I will be reviled by fantasy lovers everywhere for this, but...I didn't like this book much. I did finish it, and even enjoyed some of it, but I stalled out about halfway through and then took a while to pick it up again. Perhaps it's because I love The Mists of Avalon so much? I dunno. I enjoyed the early parts, where Arthur is a boy, but not so much the later bits.

I love the King Arthur myths but am ashamed to say I haven't read this yet. I will definitely be reading before the end of March next year for a reading challenge so do forgive me... I am sorry you didn't enjoy much of it. I love The Mists of Avalon and hope that I am not disappointed either.

Rhinoa-I am interested to see what you think of The Once and Future King! Like I say, I really expected to love it. hmmm.

28F.) The Metamorphosis by Kafka

Wow, I really enjoyed this, although I found a lot of it sad rather than funny. I almost cried when he was described as injured, with dust caking his body...it was terribly sad. I really was miserable about how his family dealt with his transformation, I just felt awful for him. I will have to dig up some criticism on this work at some point, I loved it but I am sure I am missing something.

29F.) Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Not what I expected at all. I had always heard how creepy a story this is, but it wasn't a haunted house story at all. Really excellent, I could not put it down! I should have spent the day reviewing Geology, but instead, I spent it at Manderley!
This is a perfect story, one that everyone should read. Rarely has a first person narrative been so perfectly done. The nameless heroine is excellent and accessible; I identified with her so much.

30F.) Food and Loathing: A lament by Betsy Lerner

This was a wonderful book, a very real story of addiction and mental illness. I don't believe it is really about food at all.

9NF.) Well, this is a kind of fluffy non-fiction book, but: Sex with Kings by Eleanor Herman

A fun, interesting , and informative read about several mistresses of several kings over the last five hundred years or so. I don't necessarily agree with all of her historical interpretations (for example, some of her evidence to prove madame Pompadour's frigidity) but overall a fun read.
Herman is a journalist, not a professional historian, but her book is consistently cited and seems accurate and always interesting.

31F.) Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs

The third installment in the Temperance Brennan series. More drama and action and less technical material in this one. Still very forensic-y, though, and a page turner.

32F.) Sabriel by Garth Nix

An interesting YA fantasy about a young girl filling the ancestral office of "Abhorsen", a kind of good necromancer.
This actually had some very cool creatures in it...definitely not your run of the mill zombies and ghosties. I was very quickly absorbed in this story. Apparently, there are a couple more of these!

Sabriel is a great book and I love the other two in the series Lirael and Abhorsen. There is also a collection of short stories Across the Wall that has a few related to this trilogy. I hope you read the rest and enjoy them.

10NF.) Jules R. Benjamin's A student's Guide to History

This was in the "suggested reading" list for a class I had last semester...I finally got around to it! Most of the information found in this book was already familiar to me, but it was all sound advice. I do recommend it for students taking their first history classes, as I struggled a bit moving from writing English papers to writing History papers, and I imagine many students have the same problem.
The one thing I DID NOT like about this book was its advice to begin papers with, "This paper is about..."
I just find that kind of wording a bit stilted, and I am sure I have had professors tell me NOT to do this.

P.S>Rhinoa, Lirael is next on my list! I did not buy it last weekend, as it was not in the book budget, but I will be getting it soon!

33F.) World Without End by Ken Follett

A great book, set in the mid-fourteenth century. I liked the way he dealt with the Black Death in the book; rather than speculating on causes and disease identification, he just described the symptoms and spread much as the fourteenth century chroniclers did. However, despite a lot of cool historical fiction fun, this was often so depressing I had to put it down for a day or so. Lots of murder, rape, bad guys winning, etc.
I do recommend it, particularly if you liked The Pillars of the Earth.

34F.) From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

Hooray! for the next Sookie Stackhouse book! Picked this up at the library yesterday, sat down, and read the whole thing. I thought it was a great installment in the adventures of Sookie and her friends, with lots of page time for my favorite character, Eric Northman.
Good times!
I only hope this wasn't the last one...
Please tell me she is writing more!

I really need to start this series. Charlaine Harris has had some great reviews for all of the series she has written and I think I will start with this one as soon as I can fit it in.

Rhinoa...do it! They are great, funny and absorbing!

35F.) Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

This was a fun novel about the Greek gods living out their diminished lives in a crumbling house in London. I really enjoyed the mythology mixed in with the modern world, and there were a lot of really funny parts.
I was, however, disappointed in the portrayal of Athena. I have always thought Athena was one of the more powerful and interesting gods of the Greek pantheon, and she really got kind of a bit part in this.

36F.) The Midnight Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

It was well worth the wait, with lots of new surprises about Rachel Morgan's history and some exciting twists in the elf sub-plots. The author did give it a bit of a rest with the sexual tension between Ivy and Rachel, which is just as well because it was getting a bit tedious.

I love love love these books and am desperately awaiting the next in the series!

Off to dig into Lirael...

37F.) Lirael by Garth Nix

An excellent second book in the Abhorsen trilogy. I really enjoy the characters, and I am intrigued by the dark things that are stirring in the world of these stories.
Possibly my favorite thing about this book was the fact that the main characters have failings. None of them are perfect, or good at everything, which makes them so much more accesible.
Highly recommended! I can't wait to get a hold of book 3!

38F.) The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

An excellent story, a mystery of sorts about family secrets and love. I wouldn't really call it a page-turner; in fact, I often was so interested in what happened next, or the answer to some riddle or another that I would get impatient with the writing and have to restrain myself from just skipping ahead. I didn't enjoy this as much as The Handmaid's tale, but it was still a good read. I will continue to seek out more books by this author.

39F.) Death of a Gentle Lady by M.C. Beaton

The latest in the Hamish Macbeth series. I didn't realize that she was still writing these, so I got a pleasant surprise at the library the other day! This followed the typical Hamish formula; his superiors work to shut him down, Priscilla wanders in and out of his life, and bodies pop up everywhere. A good read.

You have been reading some great stuff lately! I am looking forward to starting the Rachel Morgan books this year. I am glad you enjoyed Lirael and I also recently read The Blind Assassin and loved it too. I hope to read her whole back catalogue at some point.

40F.) The Skeleton in the Closet by M.C. Beaton

This was a cute mystery/love story about a cold case train robbery and a couple of amateur detectives attempting to solve it. M.C. Beaton, as usual, does a good job of making a character that should be irritating and unlikeable very agreeable.
I didn't like this as well as her Agatha Raisin books, but it was definitely on par with the Hamish Macbeth series!

41F.) The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

I really enjoyed most of this book. I was sucked in and thrilled by the first 90% of it, but I felt like the last 100 pages were hurriedly tossed together. I didn't like the abrupt way it finished or all the loose ends that hurried ending entailed. However, it really was an exciting, engrossing story of a nineteenth century prostitute and her rise out of the nastiest neighborhoods of fictional London.
One reviewer described this novel as a bawdy take on a Dickensian tale.

42F.) Iron kissed by Patricia Briggs

Awesome! I was super enthralled by the types of Fae described in this next Mercy Thompson novel. It made for a really interesting change from the typical werewolf/shifter/vampire fare. A bit depressing towards the end, but did end on a higher note.

When's the next one?

43F.) The Deadly Dance by M.C. Beaton
Oops, I have read this one before! I took it on the plane with me, though, so I went ahead and read it again. A recent Agatha Raisin mystery, with everyone out to get our grouchy heroine. And yes, with Agatha falling in love all over the place!

44F.) Love, Lies, and Liquor by M.C. Beaton

Maybe I am just overdoing it on the Agatha Raisin this summer, but I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the previous books. It was fun reading the character interaction, and I still love the quirky Agatha, but the mystery itself did not play out very well. Even though these little mysteries always rely on ridiculous amounts of coincidence, this one was more flimsy than most. Ah well.

45F.) Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia A. Mckillip

This was a different sort of fantasy novel. A young archivist/translator, who stumbles across a mysterious document in a mysterious language that has an unexplained hold over her.
There was also a quite sweet little love story as a supplement to the main plot.

I did like this novel, but the pace was not quite right for me. It had a dreamlike, sluggish tempo that reminded me of a very different book I read years ago called Thomas the Rhymer.

Overall, pretty good.

46F.) Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

A re-read, in anticipation of reading Farewell Summer. Still one of my favorites.

47F.) A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A great first Sherlock Holmes read. It was not what I expected, in many ways.

48F.) The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Pretty good, although ran on a bit long.

49F.) The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

The best of the bunch. I enjoyed this one immensely; the writing, the mystery, and the characters were all up to par. Good stuff.

I could not make it through The Valley of Fear, unfortunately. The "back story" for this one proved to be boring and I just put it down. Maybe I will try again sometime.

50F.) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

A great novel about the sons of the god Anansi. I could not put this book down, it was a great spin-off of some very old tales threaded through the modern day. Really excellent, the best thing I have read by Gaiman since Sandman.

51F.) The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

A kind of half mystery, half suspense novel, with a surprise narrator and a colorful cast of characters. This book had one really stand out feature: A pair of monsters that would put Clive Barker's to shame. Seriously.

Overall, good, but not something I will read again.

52F.) 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. The only fault in this graphic novel is that it is too short.
Stories of how various fables came to this world. The one about Old King Cole was the best; Snow White's own story was the most disturbing. Fantastic. A great addition to my collection.

Just checking out your reading material. Stuff I have read, stuff I've meant to read.... We have some DNA in common, but you're a faster reader! :)

Hairballsrus...My reading speed has quadrupled due to a huge hunk o' time off this summer! 6 weeks of no school and very few outside responsibilities = lots o' reading! I am VERY lucky!

53F.) Mister Monday by Garth Nix Yes, I'm digging into the YA shelves again! This was AWESOME! Pretty typical on the face of things...a young boy must aid another world in righting wrongs and save his own world from dark doings in the process.
This book, however, had lots of twists and turns that were not your typical YA fantasy fare. The two that stood out to me the most were the main character's good, stable family life (typically these magical outsiders are struggling with terrible family problems) and Nix's consistent use of strong female characters (also seen in his other books). awesome! I hope hope hope that my library has Grim Tuesday...

11NF.) Uppity Women of Ancient Times by Vicki Leon

hrmmmmm. This was okay. I like the concept, and I am a HUGE fan of history rendered in an easily consumed format, but: this was a little too casual for me. I didn't expect footnotes, or groundbreaking research, as I am pretty sure this was written for children, but the writing here was just too cute for me. Calling emperor Elagabalus "Eggy", for example. I think I am being too harsh, though; this really was a fun look at the role of women up through the 5th century C.E., in a variety of cultures and from a variety of backgrounds.

54F.) Grim Tuesday by Garth Nix

The Morrow Days are continuing to hound Arthur, forcing him to return to the House to rescue the second part of the Will.
The Morrow day in this case being Grim Tuesday, an entity that has enslaved many non-mortals in order to increase his own power. Once again, the actions that Arthur takes in the House echo in the real world as well, making his task doubly important.

I seriously can't put these down. When did YA fantasy get SO awesome!!!???

55F.) Drowned Wednesday by Garth Nix

I know, I know, Garth Nix is my new best friend this month! In fact, I am awaiting Abhorsen from the library...but anyway, Drowned Wednesday. This book changed things up a little bit, always awesome in a series. Rather than defensively fighting the Morrow Day Wednesday, Arthur must help Wednesday to free the next part of the will and gain the third key.
Awesome! Also, the main character is evolving a bit...he is less confused and more able to rise to the challenges that he is given. Next, Sir Thursday!

56F.) The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories by Susanna Clarke

An excellent collection of fairy tales and tales of magic from the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell. This was prefaced by an "introduction" from a fictional magical scholar, setting the tone for the work. Each of these was better than the last. SOme people that disliked her first novel because of its length and detail will probably enjoy these shorter pieces.
I can't wait to hear more from this author.

57F.) Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

I should start by saying that the paperback version of this that I have had since childhood appears to be an "abridged and edited" version. Oh well.
I gave this a re-read primarily because the new movie is coming out and I couldn't remember a thing about the book! It is a decent adventure story, if one remembers that this is really pulp fiction, not fine literature. Scientific impossibilities abound, as well as explanation points in unexpected places ("We were now alone!"). Very silly and more anticipation of events than actual events ocurring. Also, the narrator is whiny.
Still, it's worth a read every few decades, if only to ponder how far sci-fi has come. I guess now I have to get a hold of an unabridged version, as I *still* can't say I have really read the silly thing.

I have been meaning to read this one for a while now, it was mentioned in another book I love, I believe, and I put it on the top five "classic" books i want to read, so maybe I will tackle it next week while my boyfriend is in the hospital recovering from surgery. I will have a lot of reading time then, and your review made me even more curious! I am new to this site, and would like to friend you if you don't mind?

Hi,inkedfreak! Yes, Journey to the Center of the Earth is a good choice for extra reading time! Have you started a fifty book challenge yet?
I have accepted your friend request, welcome to librarything! Checking out your library has reminded me that I really must get to the Diana Gabaldon books one of these days...

58F.) Sir Thursday by Garth Nix
The next in the Keys to the Kingdom series. Arthur continues to lose his mortality as he reluctantly wields the power of the keys to save both his world and the House.
Again, I just love these...Nix continues to mix things up, with each of the Morrow Days having a different agenda. I also love that Arthur does not back down from his morals, despite encouragement to "fight dirty" against the evil forces opposing him.
Excellent!

59F.) One that I have been working on for a while, just got those last two chapters in today...
Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury
An excellent follow up to Dandelion Wine. I miss the tapestry of characters from the first book, this one being primarily about just a few people. A good vision of youth and age in a time and place that seems so far away now, small town America in the twenties/ thirties.
Bradbury does an excellent job in exploring the difference between the young and the old, and how they are the same in the end. Hmm. I think I need to process this a bit more.

60F.) Obedience by Will Lavender

A class at a small private college is given a logic problem to determine the whereabouts of a hypothetical missing girl in danger of being murdered. The classmates find strange ocurrences and real life events parallel the supposedly hypothetical missing girl and start searching for answers.

A really good mystery. Very, very disturbing in parts-I particularly found it hard to sleep last night after I had read the first half of the book, because I kept turning events from the narrative over and over in my mind. The ending was a shocker to me, but I am not great at solving these things; heck, I was shocked at what the real story was in the movie "Memento"! Someone else may see the twist(s) right away, but I thought they were great.

61F.) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

This was a fun little book about the end of the world and the total incompetence of heaven and hell in bringing it about. Two of my favorite authors collaberating, what more could I ask for?
I loved the wary friendship between the angel and the demon, and the fact that no one, demon, angel, mortal, or personification of prophesy seemed to know what was going on. Very funny.

So many books I want to read! I must get around to Good Omens soon as well as the Keys of the Kingdom series. I am glad you enjoyed The Ladies of Grace Adieu as much as I did. Have you read the Tiffany Aching books by Pratchett yet? I prefer them to the adult Discworld series.

Rhinoa, Which books are the Tiffany Aching books? I know Wintersmith is one of them, but which one do i start with?

62F.) Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
Yes, another Stephanie Plum mystery. Trouble in the Burg, Stephanie and Lula are on the case, shenanigans are had.
I try not to quibble with minor errors in these books--I know that they are meant to be in fun, so I don't worry about continuity errors and such--but there was kind of a weird thing in this one. Every time Stephanie didn't have her computer, she asked Ranger to e-mail the information to Morelli, instead, so she could get it off of his computer. ???? Why? Why couldn't she look at her e-mail on his computer?
More importantly, why is this bothering me?

Whups, posted too soon in an effort to stop myself from nattering on about the mystery e-mail problem.

63F.) Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham

More excellence in this series. Snow White uncovers a twisted plot at the Animal Farm, where all the fables that can't "pass" as human have to live.
Great artwork, great story, and more character development for Snow White and Rose Red.

Can't wait to read the next one...unfortunately, these I can't get out of the library...I have to wait until they fit the budget!

64F.) Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett

The next in this particular discworld cycle. Nanny, Granny, and Magrat tackle a far off land and try to prevent too many happily ever afters. Greebo, Nanny's cat, was really the star of this story.

I enjoyed this story a lot. I think the trick is not to OD on too many discworld novels at once.

The Tiffany Aching series is: The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith and they all have the witches in them.

I just read the third Fables book and really enjoyed it which carries on from Animal Farm. I am glad you are enjoying the series as much as I am and I hope to read March of the Wooden Soldiers this month.

thanks for the info, I have added those to my library wish list!

Went to the bookstore today with the intention of buying Fables: Volume 3, but they didn't have it. four, yes. two, yes. Three? No. grrrr.
anyway, despite my Fables setback, I have finished...

65F.) Lady Friday by Garth Nix

An excellent next installment of the Keys to the Kingdom series. Arthur's new friend Leaf takes a more central role in this book, with her own tasks to complete to save both the House and the "real" world. Arthur continues to exert his ever-growing power while trying to remain mortal.
Lady Friday herself was a bit disappointing-not that scary or fleshed out. This felt like an appetizer for what is to come next in the series...still awesome and action packed, but anticipatory.
I cannot wait to see what Superior Saturday has in store...

66F.) Abhorsen by Garth Nix
A great sequel to Lirael. Lirael and Sameth continue to try to defeat an evil that is so malignant and powerful it can destroy all worlds; with the help of the Disreputable Dog and the Abhorsen's servant, Mogget, they bravely fight against evil necromancers and the greater Evil.
Lots of surprise secret identities in this one. I was disappointed in the end because, well, the book ended!

*edited to say I really, really need to start finishing some non-fiction. I have got a few that are half-done, I need to get my NF numbers up!

67F.) Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett

Even better than the last! Excellent discworld novel about the three Lancre witches once again saving the tiny country from doom. This one has the added bonus of cameos by several of our favorites from Unseen University, including the Arch-chancellor, the Librarian, and the Bursar.
Fun.

12NF.) Finished the final chapter on Blood and Guts: A short History of Medicine by Roy Porter
An excellent overview of medical progress from ancient times to the modern day. Most of the information centers on the medieval period through the modern day, but Porter did cover some brief topics of earlier times.
The most compelling chapters, to me, were those on disease, the body, therapies, surgery, and doctors. The historical development of the laboratory and the hospital were also included, as well as a final chapter on medicine in modern society.
I learned quite a bit from this book; for example, I had no idea that the National Health in Great Britain was begun so early in the twentieth century, or that the Medicaid program in the U.S. was begun so late in the twentieth century.
This was not only readable and informative, but also has an excellent bibliography I am sure I will find useful at some point.

13NF.) When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

Another wonderful collection of memoir essays by David Sedaris. Just like all of his previous collections, I could not put this down; somehow the author makes ever incident in his life both exciting and relevant, not to mention hysterical.
I swear (like all of his other readers) that the author lives in my head. His bizarre shyness, his unwillingness to put himself out there, are fodder for all of these wonderful essays.
The best of the lot was his lengthy essay on quitting smoking. He traveled extensively during his many years as a smoker, and viewed London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo as both an addict and a recent quitter. Funny, funny stuff.

Super recommended. Only one fly in the ointment; a brief, surreal short story (fiction) that was really not very good. Not sure why it was included here.

68F.) The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocolypse by Robert Rankin

Pretty good. A young boy travels to Toy City to seek his fortune, teaming up with a Teddy Bear private detective to find out who has been murdering the citizens of the toy city.
Funny and very silly. The character of Eddie Bear was just awesome.

69F.) Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

Another fun witches discworld novel. need to lay off of these again.

Yeah no more than 3/4 Partchett books in a row or they get really dull...

Yes, too much at once is, well, too much at once!

14NF.) Every Person's Guide to Judaism by Stephen J. Einstein and Lydia Kukoff

A really great introduction to Judaism for the average person. The authors included an overview of the Jewish calendar, the holidays and their historical and cultural significance, ideas about God, and the various literature that make up the Torah. An excellent glossary(includes both westernized Hebrew words and Yiddish words) and bibliography are also included.
I learned A LOT from this book. I knew very little about Judaism and it turns out that most of what I thought I knew was wrong! My only regret is that I took this book out of the library rather than added it to my collection.
Excellent and highly recommended. I read this almost as fast as I would a novel, which says a lot!

70F.) The books of Magic by Neil Gaiman

A young boy is introduced to the power of magic by four guides, one of whom is John Constantine. He travels to the past, the future, and Faerie, to teach him about magical responsibility and the danger of magic. Brief cameos by Destiny, Dream, and Death.

Meh. Pretty good, not great. The section set in Faerie, illustrated by Charles Vess, was outstanding, of course. I will check out the first follow up book to this mini-series if I can find it in the library.

71F.) Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

My next step towards the Wee Free Men!

Pretty good. Not as funny as the previous ones, but we got some real character development for all the witches.

72F.) The Wee Free Men At last! At Last!

Another incipient witch, with a lot of help from the wee free men, whom I would love to have around.
Yes, I loved it! A nice change from the Lancre witches (although they do have a cameo), Tiffany Aching and the chalk were just awesome.

73F.)Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

A young girl becomes entangled with a vampire.

Well, I had to try it, see what all the fuss was about. I loved it, loved it, loved it -- and I don't know why. It had a lot of true love cliches, and a lot of men saving weak women- and yet, it worked. Really, really, really well. I could not stop reading, couldn't put it down until I was done. I will have to wait a bit for the next one, though, due to a mix-up about which was book 2; apparently, New Moon, not Eclipse, is next.

Yay for reading both The Wee Free Men and Twilight. I hope you carry on with both series. Sadly Twilight is easily the best in the series but stick with it through Eclipse as I really enjoyed the final installment Breaking Dawn.

And........
74F.) A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

Also good! I definitely trust your taste in books, Rhinoa!
Tiffany is a bit older and a bit wiser, but still brimming with secrets and overconfidence that lead her into trouble.
We get to hang out with Granny Weatherwax a bit in this novel. Even better, we get to make fun of witchy, floaty, mystical types who take themselves WAY too seriously. Hurrah! Funny and a bit scary and made all the better for lots of Nac Mac Feegle running around!
A note on the Nac Mac Feegle- I am studying Celtic Society (very, very, very early Celtic society) at the moment, and every time I hear something like "use of woad" or "a warlike people" I picture the wee free men. Hee.

Cool thanks, I trust your taste too. It's all about picturing Celtic warriors as Nac Mac Feegle! I hope you enjoy Wintersmith next.

15NF.) The Broken Spears by Miguel Leon-Portilla

A collection of original documents depicting the Aztec conquest from the point of view of the conquered. Most of these documents were written about twenty years after the fall of the city by survivors or relatives of those who fought.
Recommended.
Now, off to write a book review for class...

75F.) New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Well, that reaches my fiction challenge for the year. I will keep counting, just to see, but I am, as usual, sadly deficient in Non-Fiction. Ah well....New Moon:

I liked this, but not as much as the first one. Mostly, I am deeply irritated by Edward and just want the main character to ditch him and run off with Jacob Black. Sadly, the characters never do what I want them to...I just feel like she is choosing the boring character, sort of like if Jane Eyre chose St. John Rivers instead of Mr. Rochester.

So now I must read Eclipse to see if she has come to her senses....
Oh, and speaking off characters who never choose who I tell them to, HBO's "True Blood", based on the Sookie Stackhouse books pemieres tonight! Hurrah!

76F.) Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

I can't believe I finished this so fast. It was kind of a fluke, I stayed home sick today. blech.

I liked this pretty well, although again, I adore the character of Jacob and can't understand how anyone could consider other options. I hope some resolution of some of Bella's issues occurs in the next book!

I think Breaking Dawn is next...alas, I am feeling better, so it may be a while before I get to it!

Oh read Breaking Dawn whether you feel better or not! My least favourite was Eclipse, but I really enjoyed the final installment.

True Blood doesn't come out for ages in the UK but maybe I can watch it when I am in New York next week. What station is it on? What time and what day of the week?

Still waiting for the library to get breaking dawn...in the meantime, I finished one for school:
16NF.) Letters from Mexico by Hernan Cortes (I'm too lazy to fix accents)

A collection of the five lengthy "main" letters that Cortes sent home to Charles V explaining what the hell he was up to in Mesoamerica. The introduction to this was excellent and basically set the stage for readers to catch the discrepancies in the text of the letters. Additionally, this volume is heavily annotated, with lots of information regarding sources to consult for other Spanish views on the events described. That said, perhaps it is just the usual encumbrance of translation (I still only read in English, unfortunately), but Cortes appears to have been the most long-winded individual in the sixteenth century.

77F.) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching and the Nac Mac Feegle return! Tiffany is a bit older now, and definitely getting witchier, but still manages to make a colossal mistake that sets events much larger than herself in motion. As usual in the Witch Discworld novels, we get a funny take on an old, old story. Super awesome, I loved it! Why can't all books be like these?

Awaiting lots of YA goodness coming up...I have the latest Garth Nix waiting for me at the library whenever I have some free time in normal hours, and I am on the list for Breaking Dawn!
And of course, Brisingr comes out so soon!

78F.) Superior Saturday by Garth Nix

And I'm disappointed. Arthur returns to the house, this time to take on Superior Saturday, who threatens the whole house as a result of her ambition. Meanwhile, threats loom over Earth and possibly the other secondary realms.

The thing is...this felt like a between-the-numbers sort of thing. It felt hurried, and I just didn't feel like there was much to connect events to the reader. Not as exciting, I guess, is what I am clumsily trying to say. Really, what I thought when the book ended abruptly, is that Nix really wants to get to the NEXT story, and is just charging through this one as necessary to get to that. Or something.
I am still loyally looking forward to meeting Lord Sunday...

Hmm I do need to read this Garth Nix series, I am sorry you were disappointed with the latest one though. I hope you enjoy Breaking Dawn and Brisingr when your turn comes. I hope Pratchett writes more Tiffany books. I love Granny Weatherwax's relationship to the cat in Wintersmith.

Oh when I was in NYC I was able to watch the first 2 episodes of True Blood and loved it! Am missing it being back in the UK though. I hope they release a dvd set...

FINALLY I read something in its entirety!
79F.) The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

The story of a child stolen by a changeling; the novel follows the development and life events of both the child and the changeling after the switch has been made.
This was a really neat concept, and overall it worked out well. The pace was very slow and deliberate; it reminded me a little of The Time-Traveler's Wife, which was equally slow and incredibly introspective. Personally, I prefer more tension, but it wasn't bad. The story took place entirely in this world, unusual for these kind of fairy tales.

Rhinoa!! I am glad you liked True Blood! It is continuing to get better and better! You will get the DVD soon, I imagine; out here they are already releasing rentals of the show, one episode at a time. I didn't finish Breaking Dawn, I am sad to say. I got about...half-way through, and I just kinda lost the thrill. Of course, I have been going through a "not finishing any books" stage at the moment...

And yes, you must check out the Keys to the Kingdom series next time you are in the mood for some YA fiction!

I found a way to watch them online and have only watched up to the end of episode 3 so far but I will catch up soon.

Sorry you didn't enjoy Breaking Dawn, maybe go back to it when you are more in the mood. You shoudl check out Here, There Be Dragons by James A Owen. I just finished it and will add my review to librarything before the end of the month, but it was awesome!

Hi Rhinoa! I have added Here, There be Dragons to my ever-expanding wish list! I couldn't find Kin, BTW, but I have ordered another one by Holly Black in the meantime.

17NF.) Rumspringa: To be or not to be Amish by Tom Shachtman

Shachtman's book is essentially a study of the Old Order Amish practice of allowing their teenagers and young adults to live outside of the church's teachings and experience "English" (English=non-Amish) life before formally joining the church and its restrictive rules. This practice, of course, is called "Rumspringa" and is NOT practiced by all Anabaptist sects.
I enjoyed this. Apparently, I was mistaken about nearly all of my conceptions about the Amish-and, by association, the Mennonites. I felt that the journalist tried hard to maintain an anthropological detachment and present both sides of issues, particularly when dealing with issues that have caused clashes between the Amish and the federal government.
Overall, an excellent read, good for anyone interested in the Amish religion and lifestyle. It discusses A LOT beyond just the Rumspringa.

80F.) Across the Wall by Garth Nix

Short stories by Garth Nix; loved it. Not all of the stories were great, but it is always fun to read stuff by an author you love that is a little...different from the usual stuff. My favorite one by far was a really silly "choose your own adventure" type story that could be played/read with a six-sided die. I did without the die (my Dungeons and Dragons days are packed away in a box somewhere...) and it was fun anyway.
Definitely a good read for fantasy fans.

I hope you enjoy Here, There Be Dragons. I hope you enjoy your other Holly Black pick, I think she is just your kind of book.

I really need to read Across the Wall, it will be on next year's list for sure. Glad you loved it.

97> I read Stolen Child too and also found it a bit slow going. I also prefer a bit more "supernatural" in my "supernatural." " :) It was my last book of last year's challenge.

Hairballsrus...Yes! That's exactly it-it was so MUNDANE. BTW, Have you read Nation yet? I am still waiting on it!

and...
81F.) The Gunslinger Born by Peter David

Wow. I am a HUGE Dark Tower fan, and I have been anxiously awaiting this graphic novel version. First of all, the artwork was superb, as was the general layout. The story was nothing new; a re-telling of the young Roland and his Ka-Tet from....Wizard and Glass, I think.
I had two problems with this, both super minor. First, I had hoped for something new; a spin on the old tale, or a different point of view. This worked out beautifully, though, as a condensed re-telling.
Second, this was never my favorite part of the story! I prefer the later tales, with Eddie and Susannah and an old, bitter, gunslinger.
I will absolutely keep reading these as they come out! A great idea, and beautiful execution.

82F.) Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie by Holly Black

I think this book could be classified as an "Urban Fairy Tale". Runaway gets mixed up with the supernatural, survives by her wits and her humanity.

This was great. A bit shallow on the mythology, but the action was exciting, the characters believable, and just overall-awesome. I do love some YA fantasy fiction! I forcibly put this down at around midnight last night and read the last couple chapters before I rolled out of bed this morning. I love it when that happens.

18NF.) Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

A graphic history of how the west was lost. This book should be required reading for anyone studying the American West. That said, it was thoroughly and completely depressing. This was an assigned book for my Native American Cultures class, and the professor warned us not to read it all in one weekend, as it will make you want to throw yourself out the window. I heeded this advice and read it over two weeks, but even that did not lessen the impact.

83F.) Y: Last Man Standing

Awesome! Good stuff and I can't wait to read more! I love finding new graphic novels I can get into. Unfortunately, for the next few weeks I think classes will intrude on my reading time. Back to work...

Oh I loved the first Y the Last Man and hope to continue with the series soon. I am doing the 999 Challenge next year and one of my categories is to read 9 graphic novels and another is to read 9 books in a series or by one author so I could read some for either challenge fun!

Hmm, the 999 challenge sounds fun!

84F.) The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

This book has a typical framework: A young boy, dissatisfied with his life, finds himself drawn into a mysterious otherworld that helps him to change and accept himself and his circumstances. Throughout it all runs the theme of the power of stories.
Inside this framework, though, wonderful things happened. This was definitely not wonderland! This was one of the bloodier, gorier fairy tale books I have ever read; the stories hearken back to some very "Grimm" tales indeed. Some of the passages were simply bloody, while others were really disturbing.
I adored it and highly recommend this book if you don't mind some fairy-tale violence.

19NF.) Indians and Anthropologists by Thomas Biolsi and Larry J. Zimmerman

For school, although I didn't have to read the whole thing. This is a collection of reactions to the works of Vine Deloria Jr.'s critique of anthropology and anthropologists and includes a concluding essay by Deloria himself.
This book sincerely gave me pause about pursuing my current career and educational goals in anthropology. In fact, I cornered my poor unsuspecting anthropology professor to discuss it. She pretty much kindly talked me down from my anthropology ledge, but it is still a profoundly affecting book for those who wish to work in American anthropology.

85F.) Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

The next book in the Death thread of the Discworld series. Death spends some time as a mortal while the Unseen University wizards get into trouble trying to figure out why death seems to have stopped.
I enjoyed this, as I do most Discworld stuff. I miss the NacMacFeegle, but hey, Death is a good time, too!

86F.) Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

Death takes off again, and other aspects of him must step in to fill the office. Also, music takes over Ankh-Morpork.
This was all right. Not great.

I need to really rock some non-fiction in the next several weeks if I am going to meet my challenge! Luckily I count all the books I read for school, but I am still 11 books short...

87F.) The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

I can't believe I have not read anything for so long! One more week of finals...
Beedle the Bard was great. Four fairy tales, each with a few pages of analysis by Dumbledore. An excellent capstone to the Harry Potter collection!

88F.) A Lion Among men by Gregory Maguire

The third installment in Maguire's "Wicked" series. The first 2/3 of thE book was good, but intensely depressing; the Cowardly Lion's history is sad, sad, sad. It cheers up a bit towards the end, with lots of action and resolution, but I felt the ending was a bit flat. I suspect that a fourth book is forthcoming, as no attempt was made to tie up loose ends!

89F.) The Dark tower: The Long Road Home by Robin Furth

The second installment in the graphic rendition of the Dark Tower series. This one was pretty good, although again, I am waiting to get further along into the story.

90.) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

An excellent story about a little boy raised in a graveyard. More great stuff from Neil Gaiman.

91F.) A Spoonful of Poison by M.C. Beaton

The latest Agatha Raisin mystery. The story was engaging, and Agatha was as funny and feisty as ever.

92F.) The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

A gothic ghost story, full of allusions and implications. I read a lot of reviews of this after I finished, just to see what others thought, and I am stumped; was there really any question as to whether the ghosts were real? I never doubted it, although I did have some confusion as to the dead governess and groundskeepers' relationships with the children. "Improper"? "Inappropriate"?

Overall, a good novella, but not my cup of tea at the moment. I like nineteenth century writing styles, but this was way too vague for me.

20NF.) Walden and Civil Disobedience by Thoreau

Civil Disobedience was excellent, with a great message about support of an unjust state. Walden was superb. I can not get over how relevant his thoughts on progress are to the modern day; the rushing from place to place, the lack of reverence for the natural world, the greed for material possessions, and on and on. Truly incredible. Works such as this one remind one that acting upon ideals is not only possible, but preferable to idle words. Thoreau was jailed for his failure to pay taxes to a state he considered unjust, but he felt the price worth his support of his ideals. He said that a simple life, in teh woods, without luxury, was possible, and he lived that life.

An excellent book.

93F.) Dracula by Bram Stoker

Hmmmm. A great, fast-paced first half, followed by a hundred pages of tedium, with an edge-of-the-seat close.
No need to explicate the plot, it is a part of our modern fairy tales.
I thought it would be better. At the same time, it is really funny how pop culture has changed its view of what vampires are over the years! I was particularly struck by the inability of the vampires to rest without some of their own tomb's earth.
Despite the boring middle of this book, it was better overall than the last two books in the Twilight series!

94F.) Fables Volume 3 by Bill Willingham

Volume three of the Fables Graphic novel series. This series just keeps getting better! We get more deranged Goldilocks in this one, as well as some more origin stories for some farm residents and the evolution of Bigby's storyline.

Good stuff. I always try to save these for later, and end up devouring them in one sitting.

I loved The Graveyard Book, Dracula and Fables 3. I have to read more of them in 2009. I also can't wait to read A lion Among Men. It's high on my list for 2009 also. I really must go back and read the end of Turn of the Screw.

Hi Rhinoa! I can't wait to see what you think about a Lion Among Men! Come see me on my 2009 thread, too!