bluesalamanders 2009

2007, 2008

New challenge for the new year! Based on the last two years, here are my goals for 2009:

Total books: 150
Pages: 45000
New books: 75
Non-fiction: 10

As always, the numbers are subject to change depending on how much time I have and what kinds of books I feel like reading, but there's the starting point.

Comments and discussion are welcome!

Hey, Blue! I found you. I'll be keeping up with you again this year.

January 2009

1. Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff (396)

First book in the Smoke Trilogy, sequel to the Blood books. More vampire Henry Fitzroy and his friend Tony Foster. They're just as much fun as the first series.

2. Smoke and Ashes by Tanya Huff (407)

Third and final book in the Smoke Trilogy. This book is hilarious. There were so many pop-culture references - and Tony was dealing two old-beyond-measure people who didn't pay attention to that sort of thing - that it made me laugh out loud about every third page. I also enjoyed the story, and the characters. Leah was well-written and Tony really came into his own.

Currently Reading:
Sirius, the dog star by Martin H. Greenberg and Alexander Potter (eds) (310)


2 / 150 books. 1% done!

0 / 75 *new books. 0% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

803 / 45000 pages. 2% done!

3. *Sirius, the dog star by Martin H. Greenberg and Alexander Potter (eds) (310)

A collection of SF short stories with dogs. The introduction says that cats have their claws firmly in fantasy but there aren't many stories about dogs. Reading that made me think of the fantasy books I've read that do have dogs - Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones, A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny, Deerskin and Spindle's End and various other books by Robin McKinley.

I enjoyed many of these stories, especially the one about the color-changing puppies.

4. *Uncharted Territory by Connie Willis (149)

One of my SantaThing gifts. I've heard of the author, but never read her before.

It was an enjoyable SF book. Some humans are exploring an alien world with a native guide. There are various disasters and discoveries and miscommunications and nobody quite knows what's going on. I don't know if it's part of a series, but it reads like it is, like there are things I'm missing from before this book and more exciting adventures to come in later books.


4 / 150 total books. 3% done!

2 / 75 *new books. 3% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

1262 / 45000 pages. 3% done!

Uncharted Territory sounds very interesting.

I HAVE to add it to my TBR list. *sigh*

It was not bad, and I may look up more of her books sometime. I'm liking the other book I got for SantaThing better, though - Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link. It reads like modern day fairy tales.

Blue-!

Uncharted Territory is an "only" novella. It's sort of a "one joke" story.

Connie Willis is my favorite author. She's one of the most celebrated sci/fi authors, winning the Nebula and the Hugo many times over. She's also a good three years overdue on her next time-travel novel "All Clear". Grrr! Arrgh! Her best "somber" novel is The Doomsday Book and her best lighthearted novel is To Say Nothing of the Dog. Both take place in her time-travel universe. If you read anything else by her, I'd love to hear your opinion.

7 hairballsrus -

Firstly, your name cracks me up.

Secondly, what is "an "only" novella"? I mean, what does that mean?

I did enjoy the book and I liked her writing style, so I will likely pick up more of her books at some point.

8-Well, I DO have nine cats. It isn't so much a name, as a state of being. :)

As for Connie Willis--sorry, I didn't mean to be vague. I just meant it was a standalone. You won't find anything else written in that universe.

I've been really busy and tired, so I'm way behind in updating. Here's the backlog from January:

5. *Stone Rose by Jac Rayner (256)

My boyfriend got me a hard copy of this book for christmas (along with a sonic screwdriver, hee).

Reading a book is a totally different experience from listening to it, and I like this book just as much both ways. I especially like how important and active a role Rose plays in the plot, just like she often did in the tv show.

6. Old Man's War by John Scalzi (313)

Book one in the Old Man's War series. It's set in a future time, and all elderly people on Earth are given the option of joining the CDF (Colonial Defense Forces) when they turn 75. If you do it, you are taken off Earth and - on Earth, at least - declared legally dead. Nobody on Earth knows exactly what happens next...except that they somehow make you young again, to fight in the war. There is something for nearly everyone in this book, there is love, there is sex, there is stomping on alien bad guys. There is a little politics. There is humor and sorrow. I love this book and, in fact, the whole series.

7. *Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (288)

A mediocre retelling of the fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

8. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (317)

Book two in the Old Man's War series. This book is difficult to summarize without giving a lot away. It's mostly a different cast than Old Man's War, with some overlap, and

9. The Last Colony by John Scalzi (316)

10. Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi (336)

11. The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi (audio) (1h18m)

12. *Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye (400)

I'm really not sure how I feel about this book. It was recommended by the woman who works in children's books at the local B&N and I do agree that the writing is entertaining and very good. But it bothers me that basically every adult/figure of authority - parents, teachers, whatever - is portrayed as cruel and essentially evil. The descriptions are beyond neglectful or mean, they're downright abusive, and I don't think it really adds to the story. Kids can be isolated, lonely, and unhappy without being abused like that, or it didn't have to be such a big part of the book.

Other than that, I enjoyed the story and as I said, the writing is very good.

13. A Knot in the Grain by Robin McKinley (192)


13 / 150 books. 9% done!

5 / 75 *new books. 7% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

3680 / 45000 pages. 8% done!

Currently reading:
Watchmen by Alan Moore book club
Mairelon the Magician by Patricia C. Wrede
Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link SantaThing book
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson

Kitties! And fantasy books! my kinda people!

I have three of your recent books on my TBR list: Old Man's War, Watchmen, and Quicksilver.

I'm about halfway through Quicksilver and I've gotten really bogged down. I keep reading a little and then putting it down because nothing is happening. *sigh*

I just realized that I have not posted on your thread this year, although I read it often. I agree with rebelaessedai, cats and fantasy ARE my kinda people.

I've enjoyed 2 of the 4 Scalzi books you've read. The Last Colony is sitting in my TBR pile waiting. My favorite Scalzi so far, though, is The Android's Dream--I love his sense of humor in that; it reminds me of Bellwether by Connie Willis. I haven't read that particular Huff series, but enjoyed her Summoning the Keeper series quite a bit (naturally--cats and fantasy, right?). I like all the Robin McKinley books; although I prefer her full-length books to her short stories, some of those stories are true gems. I'm partly into Watchmen, working on it slowly. I love Patricia Wrede. Although the Mairelon books are not my favorite, there really isn't anything of hers that is not above average IMHO.

I like fairy tale retellings as well. I haven't read the one you consider mediocre, but really enjoyed the very original Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George. And I was just blown away by Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. See my thread for my review, if interested.

I understand that a number of Stephenson's books elicit the same reaction in his readers that you describe. I want to try Anathem later this year.

Enjoying your thread!

Edited to correct typos.

I read very little in February. This doesn't seem like it is possibly the right number of books, but I can't think of anything else, so I guess I just didn't read much. I guess I also started but didn't finish quite a few books. All in all it was an incredibly stressful and exhausting month.

14. Pearls of Lutra by Brian Jacques (audio) (no clue)

This was quite enjoyable to listen to. The reader did fun voices for everyone (a necessity with this kind of book) and did a lovely job of reading. I always liked the Redwall books - I have a dozen or so of them myself, including this one, since my parents gave me Redwall when it was first published. Many of the later ones were basically rewrites of the earliest few, but this one is more original than some of the others.

*15. Watchmen by Alan Moore (graphic novel) (416)

I read this for a book club that I participated in briefly. It was not exactly my usual type of book.

*16. Mort by Terry Pratchett (audio) (7h45m)

Fun to listen to.

17. Mairelon the Magician by Patricia C. Wrede (280)
18. The Magician's Ward by Patricia C. Wrede (288)
19. Wise Child by Monica Furlong (228)

Rereads.


19 / 150 books. 13% done!

7 / 75 *new books. 9% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

4892 / 45000 pages. 11% done!
audio: 8h3m (+ ?? Pearls of Lutra)

Ah, Redwall books. I am a sucker for them! One of my favorite things about them when I was a kid (and now, actually) was the ridiculous descriptions of feasts! They always sounded great. I found a Redwall cookbook recently and about flipped. There is even a recipe for Hotroot soup! Okay, I'm just babbling now... Nice work on your list, though! Keep on truckin!

Hehe yeah, I always think books with that much food should come with a few recipes. I love Redwall; my parents got me the first book when it first came out and I got about a dozen of them in hardback before I stopped collecting, heh.

And to make up for February, I seem to be on a roll in March, finishing three books this weekend alone.

20. Juniper by Monica Furlong (198)

Reread.

21. He, She, and It by Marge Piercy (429)

This is a reread, but it's been a while. Wonderful post-apocalyptic, pre-cyberpunk SF.

22. *The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (374)

Recommended by my sister.

Every year, each sector has to randomly pick two teenagers - a boy and a girl - to play in a sadistic event called "The Hunger Games", a fight to the death where the winner gets extra food and gifts for the next year, not just for themself but for their entire sector.

It was wonderful. It was horrible. It was an amazing read, and I am looking forward to the next in the series, although I can already imagine some of the things that will be in it and I'm sure it will be another heartbreaking read.

23. *Graceling by Kristin Cashore (471)

Another book (strongly) recommended by my sister.

A Graceling is a person with a gift, an almost magical ability to do something (although it's never referred to as magic). Someone Graced with speed, say, or swimming, or juggling can perform feats in that area that no regular person could hope to achieve. In Middluns, Gracelings are feared no matter how benign their Grace may be, and that fear is multiplied with Katsa's killing Grace. Even her uncle the King fears her, though he uses his authority to force her to dole out punishment across his kingdom. But what if she decides she will no longer only be his pawn?

Katsa is a wonderful character who grows constantly and believably over the course of the book. I was so surprised by some of the plot developments that I exclaimed out loud several times. The only thing that bothered me was the climax of the book - with such an enormous build-up, the climax was shockingly brief and unsatisfying and I was concerned for most of the rest of the book that something was wrong and things were somehow not what they seemed.

I enjoyed Graceling from beginning to end, with that one exception, and I am looking forward to the upcoming books in the series.

Currently reading:
The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie (at work read)
Tithe by Holly Black (at home read, about to start it)


23 / 150 books. 15% done!

9 / 75 *new books. 12% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

6364 / 45000 pages. 14% done!

24. *Tithe by Holly Black (331) YA/Fantasy

Not thrilled with this one. It seemed very cliche to me - the beautiful fey, the good and evil courts, the power of names, and so on and so forth. The writing was fine, but there was very little original in the story.

25. *The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (496) YA/SF

Welcome to Prentisstown. Todd is 12 years, 12 months old on a recently-settled world where there are 13 months in a year and 13 years makes you a man. There are no more women. A disease caused men to generate Noise, a sort of constant telepathy that can't be turned off or blocked except by distance. The same disease killed all the women.

Do not, repeat do not read the final third of this book before bedtime. It is now after 1am, I was supposed to be in bed at 10pm, I have to be awake in not too many hours for work. Lots and lots of things happen in the final third of the book and I just had to keep reading to find out the conclusion and - the end of the book is a huge cliffhanger, so now I'm sitting around waiting for the sequel. Just a little PSA.

Because if you don't like books that do that...you may still like this book, actually. Because I don't like it when books do that. I'm not watching a TV show, I can't just wait a week to find out what happens next. Wrap up a few loose ends! Generally with books with cliffhangers, I would prefer to wait until the series is finished so that I don't have to sit around wondering if _____ is going to happen (or not), when _____ is a HUGE IMPORTANT TIME-SENSITIVE ISSUE.

Ok. Now that that's out of the way.

I really liked this book. The writing reminded me a little bit of Robin McKinley in the slight tendency to ramble off on descriptions of random things that may or may not directly relate to the immediate plot, but are interesting nonetheless (although not, I stress, to the degree that she does it, for those of you who may dislike this trait of McKinley's). The story unfolded in a fantastically careful and subtle way. It slowly became obvious that something wasn't right, then Todd - the main character - slowly discovered more and more clues about what exactly was wrong. It's not until near the end of the book that we (the reader) finally learn everything, though - even Todd, the first-person main character, holds out on us.


25 / 150 books. 17% done!

11 / 75 *new books. 15% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

7191 / 45000 pages. 16% done!

Currently reading:
The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie (368) A/Fic
Powerlines: Words That Sell Brands, Grip Fans, and Sometimes Change History by Steve Cone (288) A/Non-Fic

26. *Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones (304) YA/Fan

I don't remember exactly when I read this, but I just realized that I did in fact read it but forgot to post it.

It was amusing. Not my favorite DWJ ever, but I still liked it quite a bit.

27. *An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (215) YA/Fic

I picked up this book for two reasons. The first is that someone linked me to this video, which got me interested in the Brotherhood 2.0 project that John and his brother Hank did a couple of years ago (it's a year-long project of vlogs every weekday. I think I'm into June or July.). Eventually I realized that John is an author of YA books (I like YA books) so I thought I should check them out (making him the fourth author whose books I picked up after I followed some kind of web activity, after John Scalzi, Wil Wheaton, and Cherie Priest).

The second reason I picked An Abundance of Katherines is because I like the title.

The writing is good and the story is cute and the characters were believable. I have am looking forward to reading Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns.

28. *Looking for Alaska by John Green (221) YA/Fic

Another excellent book. Green has a knack for creating characters that are interesting to read about even when they're not really doing anything. I did find the second half of the book predictable, but that didn't make it any less of a good read.

29. *13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (320) YA/fic

I read this in the bookstore, picked it up because John Green has mentioned the author several times in his vlogs, so I recognized her name.

Ginny's slightly-crazy aunt has given her a combination treasure hunt and scavenger hunt in a series of 13 letters. Each letter contains instructions for places to go, people to meet, and things to do or see. A solo tour of Europe is not something shy and quiet Ginny would ever have done normally, but with her aunt's letters to guide her, she takes the chance and goes.

This is the sort of book that you could (assuming the author did her research properly) follow along with in real life. Take a plane to this city, find this address. Take the ferry here, take a bus there, go to this museum and that cafe. It was a lovely journey to see new places and meet new people and, in the end, help Ginny accept her aunt's death.

30. *Paper Towns by John Green (305) YA/Fic

Quentin's next-door neighbor Margo runs away from home not long before their high school graduation and Quentin follows clues to try and find her.

Another fantastic book by John Green. One thing I really like about Green's writing is that, unlike a lot of authors, his endings don't just stop the book. The major event happens, then it still takes a while for everything to wrap up. If there's more than one major event, they're spaced out instead of all at once.


30 / 150 books. 20% done!

16 / 75 *new books. 21% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. (hmmm)

8556 / 45000 pages. 19% done!

31. *Unwind by Neal Shusterman (352) YA/SF

I found this book on Tamora Pierce's suggestion list at the end of '08. I read it in the bookstore.

Conner is not great at school and a bit of a troublemaker and his parents finally decide to have him unwound. That is, taken apart piece by piece in a sort of super-advanced version of organ donation that uses the entire body. Conner, not being fond of the idea himself, runs away. He accidentally ends up on the run with two other Unwinds - and that is just the beginning of the story.

Unwind is an amazing book, well-written with a very creepy premise. The society and the things that have become acceptable in it - not just unwinding but other things that are explained along the way - are so disturbing and yet, in a way, you can imagine today's society heading in a similar direction.

32. *Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (192) YA/F

The title pretty much says it all, really - it's a classic boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy goes to elaborate means to try and win boy back. Adorable, really.

Also, I would love to live in that town which can't possible exist yet in this day and age, the town where the high school quarterback is also a drag queen and (almost) nobody cares about anything that might cause prejudice anywhere else.

Boy Meets Boy is a sugar-shock sweet book, and a quick read. Really; it took me about two hours, tops. It's well-written, but without too much substance.


32 / 150 books. 21% done!

18 / 75 *new books. 24% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

9100 / 45000 pages. 20% done!

33. *I Am The Cheese by Robert Cormier (256) YA/F

There are two parallel storylines in this book. One is a boy talking to a therapist or psychologist - something always seems a little off about him - and the other is the same boy taking a frantic bike trip trying to reach his father. It's confusing and there is no real resolution at the end. I didn't dislike it, but I certainly won't be reading it again.

34. *The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (272) YA/SF

A fascinating book about a girl who was in an accident and remembers very little about it or her existence before. She spends the book re-learning how to use her body, regaining old memories, discovering new things she doesn't know why she remembers at all, and learning things about herself that don't seem quite right.

This book has been compared to Skinned by Robin Wasserman and that is not an unjust comparison, but the two books are different enough that each can be judged on its own merit. In Skinned, Lia is in an accident and is uploaded into a biomechanical body that does not look like her. In this book, Jenna still looks and sounds like herself and some of her body is still her original. Both books are filled with questions about trust and friendship and family and humanity. They also look at a parent's relationship with their children, what they're willing to do - and how far they should or shouldn't go - to save their child's life.


34 / 150 books. 23% done!

20 / 75 *new books. 27% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

9628 / 45000 pages. 21% done!

35. *Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson (336) YA/F

A high school girl gets the summer job of her dreams, just in time to find out that she has to spend the vacation with her father in Italy. On a boat. Sounds great, right? Except her dad has a tendency for wild schemes that seem like a good idea at the time (to him) but never go quite right after all (especially for her). What type of crazy is he cooking up this time?

Girl At Sea was a stressful book to read; it never seemed to slow down. From the very beginning, and especially after she gets to Italy, it's just one thing after another - and often it's one near-disaster after another. On the other hand, it really reflects the feeling of the main character, who is resentful and angry at the situation she has been stuck in. It is well written and the plot kept me guessing, but it is not a book I'll read again.

36. *The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson (384) YA/F

It was a good book. I heard they tried to ban it in some school library because it has (the horror!) lesbians. Ridiculous. The issue seemed to me to be dealt with reasonably and fairly realistically (so far as I can imagine) and just like any other aspect of teenage life as opposed to something major. Well, of course it was major, because to teenagers everything is major, but it wasn't any more major than anything else.

37. The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner (246) A/SF


37 / 150 books. 25% done!

22 / 75 *new books. 29% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

10374 / 45000 pages. 23% done!

Blue - I absolutely love I Am the Cheese! I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. Unwind sounds like one I might like so it going on the TBR list.

Georgia - I didn't quite get the point, really. I grant that it was well written and intriguing, but I'm not fond of books where basically nothing is explained at the end.

Unwind is a fantastic book, I'll be curious to hear what you think of it when you read it.

I placed a loan request through the library a little while ago. Hopefully it will be here soon.

I'm a bit behind on posting (again) so, last books of March:

38. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (643)

I really like this book. I enjoy the unusual kind of magic in this fantasy world, the dynamics between the characters, and the mystery in the plot - they're fighting against something they don't really understand and don't know how to fight. It's also very well-written.

39. Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson (573)

I really enjoy this book as well, for the most part. It is a good sequel to Mistborn, a complex plot with characters I care about and a world I believe. Also, I really like Sanderson's writing style.

But I really didn't like the end.

*possible spoilers*

This is book two of a trilogy, so the end of this book is clearly a setup for the next book, and I get that, but...there was this big huge build-up throughout the entire book and at the end, we discover it's all a lie. And something else big happened right at the end, too, and there was also this weird character throughout the book, who was involved in the stuff at the end...so there are at least three important things in this book that really weren't explained at all. Presumably they'll be explained in the third book, but I don't like that much just left hanging. I didn't have this feeling of being left hanging after the first book, and there was a big setup in that for this one. So, as much as I liked the rest of the book, the end left me dissatisfied.


39 / 150 books. 26% done!

22 / 75 *new books. 29% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

11590 / 45000 pages. 26% done!

Still behind on posting. First books of April:

40. *Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (576)

Like Well of Ascension, I liked this book very much up until the end. It was well plotted with believable characters that I cared about, in situations that made sense within the plot and the universe. I have really liked the unique magic system from the beginning of the trilogy. But the end fell flat and the final resolution really just wasn't interesting.

41. The cat who said cheese (book 19) by Lilian Jackson Braun (272)

I'm not sure I ever exactly understood exactly what was going on in this book. The later Cat Who... books are in general not as good as the earlier ones.

42. The cat who sniffed glue (book 8) by Lilian Jackson Braun (288)

The mystery in this book doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and the answer sort of comes out of left field, but the rest of the story is as fun as any other Cat Who... book.

43. The cat who could read backwards (book 1) by Lilian Jackson Braun (256)

Qwill wants the crime desk at the newspaper, what he ends up with is the art beat. It turns out to be more exciting than he anticipated, though, when his new acquaintances start dropping like flies. He takes care of his landlord's cat - the soon-to-be-famous Kao K'o Kung - who helps him solve the case and even saves his life.

Qwill is a fun character, if a bit sexist, and this is a great start to Koko's career as a mystery solver. These books are enjoyable fluff.

44. The cat who ate Danish Modern (book 2) by Lilian Jackson Braun (192)

Taken off the newspaper's art beat, Qwill is now assigned to the Fluxion's new interior design magazine. What could go wrong photographing interior design? With Jim Qwilleran and Koko, his unusual Siamese cat, around, what couldn't happen? Robberies, raids, murders, the list goes on. This is the book in which Qwill finds Yum Yum, his second Siamese cat.

For all the murder and mayham in the Cat Who... books, they're light and fluffy (just like a cat!).


44 / 150 books. 29% done!

23 / 75 *new books. 31% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

13174 / 45000 pages. 29% done!

bluesalamanders;
regarding "Currently reading:
The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie (at work read)"-----I kept looking for a review on this one. But I know it used to take me a lot longer to finish my "at work" books so am wondering if you had finished it and what you thought? It has been staring me in the face for 2 weeks now and I just keep putting it off for some reason. Any thoughts thus far?
belva

I haven't finished it. I got distracted by all these other books, heh. I have half a dozen books that I read part way through and then got distracted.

I like what I've read so far, although it's not been quite what I expected, and I am definitely going to pick it up again at some point. I want to know what happens.

Well, when you do let me know by all means. Inquiring minds and all that. Thanx for the get-back.

Hey, look! I'm all caught up!

45. *The Dragon Princess by E. D. Baker (218) YA/Fantasy

Millie's mother is a shapeshifting witch who enjoys being a dragon. In fact, she spend so much time being a dragon that when Millie is born, it turns out that she changes into a dragon when she is angry. Only when she's angry. She can't choose to turn other times, and she can't stop herself from turning, either. So, of course she ends up going on a quest to try and fix things.

This is a quick read, a darling story, and lots of fun. I will definitely check out more of Baker's books.

46. *Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce (538) YA/Fantasy

As much as Kel (Protector of the Small) is still my favorite Pierce heroine, it is my opinion that Bloodhound is the best book so far in the Tortall series, if not the best Pierce has ever written. I wasn't overly thrilled with the first book in the series, Terrier, but this book more than made up for it. Bloodhound is well-written and the characters are believable and interesting. The plot strong and intriguing, magic is used occasionally and not as a constant crutch, and Pierce is not afraid to put characters in real, even deadly danger as fits the plot and setting.

I do have two minor technical issues with the book. The first is that, as with Terrier, Bloodhound was supposedly written as a "journal", but, again like Terrier, it reads like a first-person novel. I've read journal-style books that are good reads but also are believably journals, and this is not believably a journal. However, it doesn't detract much from the book and is amusing at times.

The second issue is that it's never explained how the coles (counterfeit coins) are being made. One can't simply melt silver and pour it over brass disks to coat them. And what kind of 'silver paint' would match so perfectly with real silver as to fool suspicious people? But as I said, this is a technical issue and it wouldn't have come up if I hadn't studied metalworking, or if I hadn't been so impressed with how she'd dealt with metalworking in the Circle series.

But those are small issues, and those two small issues aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a fun fantasy read with a bit of crime drama mixed in (although you should probably read Terrier first as there are some things that will be pretty confusing otherwise).

47. *The Salamander Spell by E. D. Baker (248) YA/Fantasy

Another entertaining book by E. D. Baker. I didn't like it quite as much as I liked The Dragon Princess - there seemed to be a lot more things left unexplained in this book - but it was still fun and reminds me of books I loved when I was younger, The Farthest-Away Mountain, The Ordinary Princess, books like that.


47 / 150 books. 31% done!

26 / 75 *new books. 35% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

14178 / 45000 pages. 32% done!

I'm in the middle of Bloodhound right now and enjoying it. Haven't figured out the details of the mystery yet, but working on it.

I thought it was all-around excellent. It bumped Squire down to #2 in Best Tortall Book, although I'm not sure how Bloodhound will rate in rereadability.

Just peeked in and saw Bloodhound mentioned - i got mine yesterday and may have finished at around 3 o clock this morning. I wasn't too fussed though since it was an excellent book. It's not my favorite Tortall book though - it'd be a toss-up between Trickster's Queen and Lady Knight for that prize.

I'm sure i've read a synopsis of Unwind somewhere around and thought it looked pretty good - i may have to hunt up a copy, although not anytime soon i have far too many books in my TBR pile plus important exams i really shouldn't neglect.

I enjoyed the Trickster books the first time I read them, but I've enjoyed them less each subsequent time. Aly is such an extreme Mary Sue, and there are so many just wasted characters in those books. Kel is still my favorite, but in my opinion Squire is a better book than Lady Knight. I like that whole series, though.

Unwind is an excellent book, albeit difficult and disturbing at times. It actually made me cry at least once.

48. The cat who turned on and off (book 3) by Lilian Jackson Braun (272)
49. The cat who knew Shakespeare (book 7) by Lilian Jackson Braun (256)
50. The cat who sniffed glue (book 8) by Lilian Jackson Braun (288)
51. The cat who went underground (book 9) by Lilian Jackson Braun (288)
52. The cat who talked to ghosts (book 10) by Lilian Jackson Braun (288)
53. The cat who wasn't there (book 14) by Lilian Jackson Braun (288)

Lots of Qwill. Lots of murders. Lots of cats. I read these because they're fun and fluff and they remind me of my grandmother.


53 / 150 books. 35% done!

26 / 75 *new books. 35% done!

0 / 10 ^non-fiction. 0% done!

15858 / 45000 pages. 35% done!

54. *^I sold my soul on ebay by Hemant Mehta (224) A/non-fiction

I read Hemant's blog, friendlyatheist, so when I saw this book at a friend's house, he let me borrow it.

It was interesting to read about so many different kinds of church services and what he thought of them from an outsider's perspective. On the other hand, especially in the beginning of the book, there were some poorly phrased sections with common stereotypes and generalizations about atheists. The writing is mediocre at best and the book could have used a good editor. I expect if Hemant wrote it now, with all the experience he's had writing and writing about atheism, it would be much a better book.

I'm glad I read it and I'm especially glad it exists, because I like Hemant's blog and it seems he initiated the blog because of the book or at least because of the ebay auction, but the book itself is a pretty weak overall.

55. Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce (384) YA/F

Reread. I would like to own the other three books in this series, but when I went to buy them, the bookstore only had two of them and they were different editions (ie different covers) from the one I already have. What's with that? This copy of Wild Magic was brand new last year!


55 / 150 books. 37% done!

27 / 75 *new books. 36% done!

1 / 10 ^non-fiction. 10% done!

16466 / 45000 pages. 37% done!

May

56. *The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (390) YA/F

When Chloe sees something that nobody else sees, she lashes out at the people around her as they prevent her from running away from it. This breaks her school's 'zero tolerance' policy regarding volence against faculty and she is sent to a sort of private school/group home with other "disturbed" kids who, she slowly discovers, have more in common with her than she could have imagined.

This novel had a well-written and extremely effective first-person perspective. We only know what Chloe knows and we find things out as she does, which means that much of the book, especially the first half, is confusing at times, which adds to the tension in the story. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Awakening.

57. *Thirsty by M.T. Anderson (237) YA/F

Another unusual take on the YA vampire genre. Thirsty is well-written and an entertaining read, although not as moving or thought-provoking as Feed. It's easy to relate to Chris' confusion and frustration and I reached the end of the book still "thirsty" for more.

58. *Doctor Who: Shining Darkness by Mark Michalowski (256) A/SF

Not bad, not bad at all. The Doctor and Donna were in character, they blundered about as usual, and things eventually got back the way they were supposed to be. Overall a fun book, but then I'm rather fond of Donna. My only complaint is that the whole thing ended rather quickly. Whoops, it's over, poof. That's all, goodbye, not really much wrapping-up or whatnot.


58 / 150 books. 39% done!

30 / 75 *new books. 40% done!

1 / 10 ^non-fiction. 10% done!

17349 / 45000 pages. 39% done!

59. *Imaginary Friends edited by John Marco and Martin H. Greenberg (320) A/F/SF

I liked some of these stories a lot and thought some of them were just ok; I didn't actively dislike any of them. The writing is consistantly good through all the stories and authors. The unique takes on the idea of the imaginary friend was, for the most part, fascinating. I don't remember ever having an imaginary friend when I was young; it may be that a person who does will see this book in a different way, although very few of the stories have what one traditionally thinks of as a child's imaginary playmate.

60. *Love is Hell by Melissa Marr, Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Gabrielle Zevin, and Laurie Faria Stolarz (263) YA/F

Five stories of supernatural teenage love and angst:

Stolarz's Sleeping with the spirit is about a girl whose family moves into a haunted house, who then starts dreaming about a ghost. Slightly creepy but also moving.

Westerfeld's Stupid perfect world describes a future utopia where automated devices prevent anything bad from happening and everything is perfect, except during a two-week period when students practice "scarcity" to teach them about history. A fantastic story (as expected from Westerfeld), good from start to finish with some fascinating concepts played out in such a short time.

Larbalestier's Thinner than water is a village-and-fey story. Kept my interest but not my favorite.

In Zevin's Fan fictions, a girl falls in love with boy nobody else ever meets. Didn't make much sense, which is reminiscent of the book of hers that I readthe writing is strong and the characters are sympathetic, but the plot seems incomplete.

And lastly, Marr's Love Struck is about a girl and a selkie (or, selchie). Again, strong from start to finish. You're never sure quite what's going on or who to trust, just like the main character.

61. *The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Weyn (256) YA/science fantasy

Warning: Review contains spoilers.

The next step beyond drivers' licenses and credit cards: a personal bar code tattooed to your wrist.

The government, the media, food production, schools, the internet, pretty much everything you can think is controlled by one corporation - Global-1 - and now they want to control people, too. The bar code tattoos are the next big thing, making everything from hospital visits to shopping transactions that much easier. But how do you know what information is in your file, who has access to it, and what they do with it?

I had high expectations for this book, both from what I had heard about it and from the description I read. Unfortunately, instead of being a tense SF book, halfway through it turned into a weird mix of paranormal and science fiction that just didn't mesh well. Throw in some bad science (the old "we only use a small percentage of our brains" rubbish and some fundamental misconceptions about adaptation and evolution) and it was hard to know quite what to think.

The basic premis is solid and the story could be fantastic: Kayla is about to turn 17 - the age when people are first allowed to get the bar code tattoo - but she isn't excited about it. When her parents got theirs, suddenly her dad's job started went south as he was passed over for expected raises and promotions, and he started getting depressed and drinking. Her mom became irritable and distant. Everyone Kayla knows who gets the tattoo seems to change, or something to do with them changes.

Kayla eventually discovers that the bar codes contain, among other things, a person's genetic information: her dad's file contains references to potential for scizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism, and obviously his employee had had access. She also learns that her mom - a maternity nurse - had discovered that "genetically inferior" children were being killed before they even left the ward. Kayla refuses to have the tattoo and joins Decode, the resistance movement.

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Right up until they bring in the telepathy and telekenesis and premenotions, the Native American shaman, and the people trying to contact aliens with their minds. These things drastically decrease the effect of the story, as well as bringing up the previously mentinoed bad science. "Adaptation" and "evolution" don't happen in a few years (or even less) simply because people don't live with the rest of society anymore, and they don't happen to individual people anyway. And we already use all of our brains.

Overall, I was disappointed with this book. A story that could have been very interesting and address real issues being faced today got lost in the pseudoscience and mysticism, which was jarring and seemed out of context. I will not be rereading or recommending this book.


61 / 150 books. 41% done!

33 / 75 *new books. 44% done!

1 / 10 ^non-fiction. 10% done!

18188 / 45000 words. 40% done!

62. *The Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn (265)

I only read this sequel because I had already bought it (and it was short). Like the first book, Rebellion is full of ridiculous pseudoscience and mysticism that doesn't add anything, isn't necessary, and turns what could have been a thought-provoking look at identity, society, genetics, and modern technology into a pretty silly story. Disappointing but expected after the first book.


62 / 150 books. 41% done!

34 / 75 *new books. 45% done!

1 / 10 ^non-fiction. 10% done!

18453 / 45000 pages. 41% done!

63. ^*Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded by John Scalzi (368)

A ten-year retrospective of Scalzi's blog, the Whatever. This book covers a variety of topics in no particular order, from war to business to parenthood.

Scalzi's writing is always a pleasure to read, but I wondered at some of the choices of material to include. Many of the entries are timeless - essays on parenting and advice for aspiring authors, for instance. But many (though not all) of the political posts are hopelessly outdated, having been written just prior to some major event that then made the entry obsolete.

64. *Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich (330)

Standard Stephenie Plum book. Things blow up, cars are destroyed, much hijinks ensue around and to her, and there is high sexual tension (and maybe some sex) between her and Joe, and her and Ranger. Entertaining but no new ground.

65. *Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (307)

We meet Zachery, a guardian angel with a crush on his charge. And we meet Miranda, Zachery's charge, a high school girl who is about to be turned into a vampire. Can Zachery save her soul after he fails to save her life?

Eternal was a quick read that switches perspectives between those two characters, neither of which has a particularly strong or exciting voice. The plot was not very interesting and the world was not explained or described enough to be especially believable. Overall, a mediocre book.

66. *David Inside Out by Lee Bantle (184)

This is a short book that looks at the difficulties that are sometimes faced by gay teens today. What happens to the gay characters is mild compared to what happens to some people in the real world, but it does get across some of the conflict and frustration that must be common for many gay teens. Not a bad read but hardly the "hard-hitting" book that the blurbs made it out to be.


66 / 150 books. 44% done!

38 / 75 *new books. 51% done!

2 / 10 ^non-fiction. 20% done!

19642 / 45000 pages. 44% done!

End of May:

67. Wolf-Speaker by Tamora Pierce (344)

Daine's wolf pack from her former home asks her to talk to the humans in their new territory about the destruction of the land, the water, and the hunting grounds in the new valley they have moved to, but it turns out that the situation is much different - and much worse - than anyone could have guessed.

Wolf-Speaker is one of my favorite Tortall book. Although the main characters are (as usual in Pierce's books) just a touch too good to be true, Daine grows and learnes and makes mistakes throughout the story and people besides her play roles vital to the plot. I particularly like Maura, a young noblewoman who is terrified but brave, and Tkaa, one of the immortals that Daine meets and befriends.

68. Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce (384)

Daine and her friends are sent to Carthack, to meet with the Emperor. Daine's duty is to see if she can heal the Emperor's pet birds and otherwise to stay out of trouble, but unfortunately for her, the god-touched don't have a choice about where and when they're called on to intervene.

Emperor Mage is another thoroughly enjoyable Tortall story. The Immortals series really improves with each book. I love Daine's interactins with the gods and how she chooses to use her borrowed power in a way that reflects her so very well (and which is not precisely the way she is expected to use it).

69. Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce (338)

Daine and Numair go up against a group of magical creatures of a kind they've never seen before and when it turns out that neither Daine's wild magic nor Numair's Gift can effect them, rescue comes from a surprising direction. But now they're stuck in another realm while war threatens Tortall.

There are a lot of new and interesting characters introduced in this last book in the Immortals series, including various gods, dragons, and other immortals and magical creatures, and Daine's prejudices against Stormwings are tested. The realm of the gods itself is an intriguing place to read about, with different rules from the moral realm and wonders and dangers all its own. It's a fitting end to the series.

69. Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn (404)
70. *The Seven Towers by Patricia C. Wrede (336)
71. Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer (320)


71 / 150 books. 47% done!

39 / 75 *new books. 52% done!

2 / 10 *non-fiction. 20% done!

21768 / 45000 pages. 48% done!

You are reading a lot of my favorites! Pierce, Scalzi, and Wrede! I really like The Seven Towers--very interesting elements and characters in it!

They are some of my favorites, too, ronincats :)

I'm not entirely sure what I thought of The Seven Towers. I mostly liked it but I'll have to read it again to really figure it out. I do remember that that one woman's speech patterns felt awkward to me - I know she was supposed to be all rambly and everything, but it felt a little forced. I did like it enough that I plan to reread it, though, which says something.

Have you read The Raven Ring? That's probably my favorite of Wrede's Lyra books.

I haven't. I only recently realized that there are quite a few of Wrede's books that I've never even heard of, much less read! I'll add that to my tbr list.

72. Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede (234)

Collection of fantasy short stories by Wrede:

Rikiki and the Wizard
A sweet story about a greedy wizard and his kind and beautiful daughter.

The Princess, the Cat, and the Unicorn (Enchanted Forest)
The middle princess from a kingdom where nothing is quite as it "should" be goes out to seek her fortune. The palace cat goes with her and they meet a haughty unicorn. Cute and funny.

Roses by Moonlight
An older sister meets an unusual woman and takes a walk through a unique garden. This story is different in that not a whole lot actually happens, and yet at the end, it still feels as though it did. I love this story.

The Sixty-two Curses of Caliph Arenschadd
An Arabian Nights type story with a wizard-monarch who curses everyone who makes him angry. Funny.

Earthwitch
This is a dark, sad story of love and war. I never feel like I've quite understood it, but it's moving nonetheless.

The Sword-Seller
Classic good-vs-evil high fantasy, with a few twists. Dark and dramatic.

The Lorelei
Some students on a school trip to Germany make an unexpected stop at the Lorelei cliffs. A great story and I love the main character.

Stronger Than Time
Sleeping Beauty gone awry. The end is unexpected.

Cruel Sisters
A beautiful and sharp retelling of an old ballad.

Utensile Strength (Enchanted Forest)
Queen Cimorene and King Mendanbar must find the wielder for a powerful enchanted weapon. Absolutely hilarious. Recipe included.

73. Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn (439)
74. The Last Command by Timothy Zahn (467)
75. Survivor's Quest by Timothy Zahn (416)


75 / 150 books. 50% done!

39 / 75 *new books. 52% done!

2 / 10 ^non-fiction. 20% done!

23324 / 45000 pages. 52% done!

76. Blood Price by Tanya Huff (272)

Book one in the Blood series, a supernatural crime novel. I was not expecting a whole lot from this book, so I got just what I wanted: it was fun, a little sexy, and an enjoyable fluff read.

77. Blood Trail by Tanya Huff (304)

This book has interesting werewolf pack dynamics, with, of course, the Henry/Vicki/Mike dynamics mixed in. I enjoyed it - this whole series is nice sexy fluff reading without being over-the-top and I like it a lot.

78. Blood Lines by Tanya Huff (271)

Creepier than the previous books, but still an enjoyable read.

79. Blood Pact by Tanya Huff (332)

The creepy character in this book is not actually the zombie, but the scientist, or rather, the assitant. The ending makes me cry every time, and was a complete shock the first time I read it. Fantastic.

80. Blood Debt by Tanya Huff (330)

There's not a whole lot I can say about this book without giving too much away, but the tension between Henry and Vicki is astoundingly well done, and Mike is amazing. Even Tony is given more page time, and has clearly grown.

81. *Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (592)

Vivenna, eldest princess of Idris, has been trained from birth to become the wife of the God King of the neighboring Hallandren. Her youngest sister Siri has spent her seventeen years avoiding her royal lessons. So neither is prepared when their father bends the treaty and sends Siri to Hallandren instead of Vivenna.

But that's only one of several threads that weave through Warbreaker, and only two of half a dozen main characters, all of who are distinct enough to make switching between threads easily followed and fascinating to read.

I very much liked it. There is a slew of interesting characters, some of who are not quite what they seem, and all of who are interesting to read about. The settings are a bit askew from the typical fantasy world, and the magical system is another unique Sanderson one. He has a knack for coming up with unusual forms of magic. The breath-magic in Warbreaker is very interesting in how it's generated and how it can be used. However, the color aspect of it, which was supposed to also be important somehow, never quite made sense. Almost...but not really.

Definitely recommended, especially if you like Sanderson's other books.


81 / 150 books. 54% done!

40 / 75 *new books. 53% done!

2 / 10 ^non-fiction. 20% done!

25125 / 45000 pages. 56% done!

82. *Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (337)

The book held my interest to the end, but I wasn't overawed by it. I haven't decided if I'll read further in the series or not.

83. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi (394)

The Android's Dream is a humorous science fiction story about a man and a woman, along with aliens, sentient computer programs, made-up religions, various government agencies, a visit to a mall, a space cruise, and, of course, sheep. The first chapter is rather crude humor, but don't let that throw you; it is a hilarious and wonderful book.

84. Old Man's War by John Scalzi (311)
85. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (343)
86. The Last colony by John Scalzi (320)

One of my all-time favorite series.

87. *The White Mists of Power by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (302)

A world of eh. Mediocre story, not all that interesting of characters, and an unexciting finish.

88. Helm by Steven Gould (468)

I liked it better this time around. Good book.


88 / 150 words. 59% done!

42 / 75 *new books. 56% done!

2 / 10 non-fiction. 20% done!

27600 / 45000 pages. 61% done!

For what it is worth I have read Ill Wind by Rachel Caine....Infact I have read all the books in the series .... It is a series that gets better with each book like book one was just the warm up to more action to come.

89. Lythande by Marion Zimmer Bradley A/Fantasy (237)

Anthology of short stories about Lythande, a woman who must stay disguised as a man or lose her sorcery and her life.

The Secret of the Blue Star
Not my favorite story, but a poignant look at how difficult it can be for Lythande to have to hide the truth from everyone.

The Incompetant Magician
Lythande performs a task for a fellow magician in exchange for a remnant of her past. The story itself isn't that interesting, but I like the end.

Somebody Else's Magic
Lythande's secret is threatened when she helps a dying woman and is bound by somebody else's magic. A frustrating story with a weird ending.

Sea Wrack
Lythande decides to help a fishing village rid itself of a murderous mermaid. I really quite like this one, and it brings to mind several old fairy tales I've heard.

The Wandering Lute
Lythande attempts to disenchant a lute and has several amusing adventures on the way. There is a sequel story, The Gratitude of Kings, that isn't in this book. I like both stories; there are several entertaining characters and situations.

Looking for Satan by Vonda McIntyre
This story isn't told from Lythande's perspective but that of Wess, a girl from the north who has come south with her companions to find their kidnapped friend Satan. They meet Lythande in the city and Wess and Lythande strike up a curious relationship. It is definitely the strongest story in the bunch and my favorite.

90. Metamorphasis by Franz Kafka A/?? (94)

Definitely one of the strangest stories I've ever read.

91. Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi YA-A/SF (416)

Zoe's Tale is another fantastic book in John Scalzi's Old Man's War universe. Zoe is the adopted daughter of John Perry and Jane Sagan, who are chosen to head up a colony on a new planet. Except things don't go exactly as expected and along with the normal hazards of colonizing a new planet (unfriendly lifeforms, inedible vegetation, etc), they suddenly discover that they've been made pawns in an intergalactic war.

This book is a retelling of the timeline of The Last Colony from Zoe's perspective. Because she's a teenager, she isn't privy to everything the adults know and do - and, likewise, they don't know everything that happens to her - so Zoe's experience of that time is quite different from her parents'.

Scalzi writes the Old Man's War books so that each of them is a stand-alone as well as part of a cohesive story, and Zoe's Tale is no exception. And although I found it shelved in the adult science fiction section of the bookstore, this was intended to, and in my opinion does, bridge the divide between adult and YA. It is also hysterically funny throughout much of the book. Scalzi wrote Zoe as a brilliant, sarcastic, irreverent character who talks back to adults (human and alien alike) and uses her wits to save the day, yet still manages to act and sound like an believable teenager.

92. *To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (493)

Well, that was 500 pages of weird. Ned works for a sort of time agency that sends people to the past for...well, probably research, but that's never quite made clear. He's trying to find a sculpture-thing (the Macguffin of the book, the bishop's bird stump) and then ends up stuck unprepared in Victorian times to recuperate from "time-lag" brought on by too many jumps in too short a time.

This book is well-written, impeccably plotted, and intriguing enough that even though I didn't actually like it all that much, it kept me reading to the end in order to figure out what the heck was going on. I did enjoy how (and why) things got tied up at the end. However, this is not a book I'm planning to reread.

93. *The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip (343)

A wizard, daughter of wizards, has a menagerie of mythical and powerful beasts. Her otherwise solitary life changes when a man brings her a child to raise.

I picked up this book due to several recommendations and I'm afraid I'm didn't quite get the point. The language is stilted, the characters are dull, and the plot is plodding and uninspired. Interesting parts are glossed over and boring parts are greatly elaborated on. Intriguing characters get little or no time, which is instead given to boring conversations that could have been summed up in a few lines instead of a few pages and often appear out of nowhere with no build-up.

I rather think it might have been as a better short story or several short stories.

I liked the end well enough, but I haven't yet read a book I disliked where the end made up for everything else, and this is no exception. Definitely will not reread.


93 / 150 books. 62% done!

45 / 75 *new books. 60% done!

2 / 10 ^non-fiction. 20% done!

29183 / 45000 pages. 65% done!

Unfinished books:

These are both ER books. I was behind on my reviews for that program, but I'm finally caught up, woo!

Powerlines: Words That Sell Brands, Grip Fans, and Sometimes Change History by Steve Cone

Powerlines is an interesting read about the history of taglines, slogans, and jingles, which ones are powerful and which ones fall flat. That's about it, though; while I enjoyed the historical walkthrough, there were few revelations or breakthroughs or insights that I found especially exciting.

I got about 2/3 of the way through this book. I may read the rest of it some day.

Shades of Grey by Ari Marmell

If I had picked this book up on my own instead of receiving an Early Reviewer copy, I would have put it back almost immediately. The purple prose is obvious from the very first page - the first paragraph - and it doesn't get better. If there's a less common word that almost means the right thing, use that instead! Add unnecessary adjectives whenever possible! This book needed an editor liberal with the red pen.

I would like to be interested in the story and the characters. The idea behind the plot - a retired conquerer forced to get back into the business of war - could be interesting. But I'm halfway through the book and I'm bored. I'm at what should be a dramatic turning point in the story and I should be worrying about the characters and if they're going to survive and manage to do what needs to be done, and to be honest, I just don't care. I'm going to go find something more interesting to read.

94. *^Lessons from the Fat-o-Sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with Your Body by Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby (272)

I really like this book. I may not agree with everything that Harding and Kirby have to say (or, always, the way they say it) but overall, it is a good book with many excellent points. It's also enjoyable to read, written with a friendly and irreverent style - although parts of it can be more difficult to read because of the truth in what they say. It's not easy to look truth in the eye.

Recommended for anyone with body issues, especially people dealing with being fat in weight-obsessed societies.

95. *Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (272)

Diary of a somewhat silly British teenager.

Written in pseudo-diary format - it resembles a diary but not very realistically, which is ok because it's just supposed to be humorous. I found it more amusing than laugh-out-loud funny, myself.


95 / 150 books. 63% done!

47 / 75 *new books. 63% done!

3 / 10 ^non-fiction. 30% done!

29727 / 45000 pages. 66% done!

96. *Doctor Who: The Last Dodo by Jacqueline Rayner, read by Freema Agyeman (audiobook, abridged) (2:24)

Martha asks the Doctor to take her to see the last dodo, which leads them into unexpected trouble (as usual).

Freema Agyeman (who played Martha Jones on Doctor Who) is an excellent reader. The story was decent and there were some unexpected twists and turns along the way. There was an odd stylistic quirk where sometimes the story was in third person and sometimes the story was in first person with Martha speaking directly to the reader, but it was always clearly stated when it happened. Overall, I enjoyed it.

97. *Doctor Who: Forever Autumn By Mark Morris, read by Will Thorp(e) (audiobook, unabriged) (2:12)

The Doctor and Martha land in a small New England town that is being overrun by aliens. It's Halloween.

Mediocre at best, and I've seen the same kind of story elsewhere. Also, the reader, Will Thorp(e), does a great Ten, an okay Martha, and absolutely awful American accents.

98. *Doctor Who: Peacemaker By James Swallow, read by Will Thorp(e) (audiobook, abridged) (2:08)

The Doctor and Martha find an Old West town that has been mysteriously "cured" of smallpox.

Not bad, overall, except again, Will Thorp(e)'s American accents are rubbish and kept jarring me out of the story.

99. *Torchwood: The Sin Eaters by Brian Minchin, read by Gareth David-Lloyd (audiobook) (2:10)

A corpse appears in the water near a rift spike and the team must figure out how he died, and how to save the rest of the city. Or something like that.

The plot is okay, but what is really great about this audiobook is the characterization, interaction, and most of all Gareth David-Lloyd's reading. Not only is his reading lovely to listen to, but his portrayals of Jack, Gwen, and Rhys (and of course Ianto) are spot-on.

99. *Torchwood: In the Shadows by Joseph Lidster, Read by Eve Myles (audiobook) (2:27)

Slightly predictable, and the characterization is a bit shaky at times, but incredibly creepy. Eve Myles is another great reader.

Why do so many Torchwood books have to do with religious fanatics?

100. *Doctor Who: The Forever Trap, by Dan Abnett, read by Catherine Tate (audiobook) (2:21)

The Doctor and Donna are trapped in an apartment complex with the oddest of neighbors.

This one was kind of fun, although these sorts of stories always lack a certain amount of tension since we know that the main characters are in no real danger. Catherine Tate is an entertaining reader; I've noticed that I prefer the books read by voices from the shows.


100 / 150 books. 67% done!

52 / 75 *new books. 69% done!

3 / 10 ^non-fiction. 30% done!

29727 / 45000 pages. 66% done!
Audiobooks: 13h02m

101. The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi (audiobook) (1:18)

This is out of order; I listened to this back when I was rereading all the Old Man's War books.

This is a lovely and moving book; it makes me smile, it makes me laugh, sometimes it even makes me cry. The insight into the mind of Jane Sagan, and into the lives of the members of the Ghost Brigades, is really amazing.

102. *Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint (414)

This is an anthology of what seem to be urban fairy tales. Some of them are similar to well-known stories (for instance, there is one based on The Little Mermaid) but most are not based on any story I've heard before. All the stories take place in Newford and there are character overlaps between many of the stories. I definitely enjoyed it and de Lint's writing was strong as ever, but I'm not sure I'll read it again any time soon.

103. *Doctor Who: Beautiful Chaos by Gary Russell, read by Bernard Cribbins (audiobook) (2:34)


103 / 150 books. 69% done!

54 / 75 *new books. 72% done!

3 / 10 ^non-fiction. 30% done!

30141 / 45000 pages. 67% done!
Audiobooks: 16h54m

(late updates from July)

104. *Doctor Who: Ghosts of India by Mark Morris, read by David Troughton (audiobook) (2:29)

The Doctor and Donna wind up in India. They meet Ghandi and a couple of aliens who may not be quite what they seem.

It was odd to have Ghandi as such an important character in the story. The climax of the story was more than a little weak. Donna tends to be a much louder presence in the books than Rose was, but it's hard to tell if it's because she's a stronger character or just because she's louder.

105. *Doctor Who: Martha in the Mirror by Justin Richards, read by Freema Agyeman (audiobook) (2:37)

Martha and the Doctor end up unexpectedly at some peace negotiations where things don't go quite as planned (of course).

I very much liked this story. It is both a little confusing and a little predictable at times (funny how it manages that) but it all pretty much works and I really enjoyed the end.

106. *Doctor Who: Sick Building by Paul Magrs, read by Will Thorp(e) (audiobook) (2:10)

The Doctor and Martha go to rescue a human colony from the Voracious Craw.

I liked this book from the beginning to - but the end was a joke, wasn't it? There's a real end floating around out there somewhere that I just missed, right? The end just plain stupid.


106 / 150 books. 71% done!

57 / 75 *new books. 76% done!

3 / 10 ^non-fiction. 30% done!

30141 / 45000 pages. 67% done!
Audiobooks: 24h10m

final books of july (yeah, I'm a bit behind) :

107. *Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (403)

Short stories about geeks and nerds of various stripes. Some of them are more-or-less realistic, some of them aren't realistic at all, most of them are hysterically funny. Authors include MT Anderson, John Green, David Levithan, Garth Nix, Cythia Leitch Smith, and Scott Westerfeld.

108. *Fathom by Cherie Priest (384)

For an unknown purpose, a sort of earth elemental convinces a man to build a tower in a specific place. In pursuit of a way to awaken her father (Levithan), a kind of water goddes takes a drowning girl and changes her into something new. The girl's cousin is turned into a statue and set in a garden near the shore for reasons which we don't find out until much later.

The book follows a number of different threads and it's not obvious until far into the story how they relate and who is good or bad.

Actually, it's never entirely clear, but if I were a human living in that world, I know who I would want to win.

It's rare to find a book where not having answers is as fascinating as having them would be. But in this book, in which very little has concrete explanations and most of the characters aren't human (even if they once were), the story is more important than the explanations, and I loved it.

109. *Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich (320)

Hey, more standard Stephanie Plum. Lots of crazy grandma in this one, a little more Morelli than Ranger as I recall, and some amusing computer geeks to add to the weird.

110. *Doctor Who: The Pirate Loop by Simon Guerrier, read by Freema Agyeman (2:20)

This one was odd (well, they're all odd, aren't they?) but fun.


110 / 150 books. 73% done!

61 / 75 *new books. 81% done!

3 / 10 ^non-fiction. 30% done!

31248 / 45000 pages. 69% done!
Audiobooks: 26h30m

111. *Roar by Emma Clayton (496)

Ever since the "animal plague", the world's population has been crowded in the northern third of the Earth, with the Wall separating them from the dangers of the south. For a while, all were equal, but then the rich decided to build a second layer above the cities, which made the already cramped and uncomfortable lower level even worse, dark, disgusting, and unhealthy. But when people find out the Secret, everything will change.

I love both fantasy and science fiction, but they don't always blend well, and this is another book that I think would have been better if it had been straight science fiction instead of a mix. The writing was very good and the plot, while not new, was generally well done. But once it left science fiction and veered into fantasy, it became a lot less interesting.

112. *Side Effects by Amy Goldman Koss (144)

Teenager Isabella Miller is diagnosed with cancer.

Funny, sarcastic, and painful. It's not too graphic, but you still get the gist of what she's going through, from the frustration at the begining when everyone talks around her and forgets to talk to her, to the horrible side effects of the chemo, to having to deal with everyone else's coping methods along with figuring out her own.

It's a quick read but it's very moving and the voice rings true.

113. *Epic by Conor Kostik (366)

Erik Haraldson lives in two worlds. In the real world, on New Earth, he works on a farm with his parents, where they use both solar panels and wood-burning stoves, tractors and donkeys, an odd juxtaposition of the old and the new. He also lives in Epic, a fantasy MMORPG with virtual reality interfaces that nearly every person plays. It is within Epic that business transactions and governmental issues are handled, disputes are settled, and the economy functions.

Then, of course, things start going wrong. I really liked this book, it turned out to be much, much more interesting than I expected it to be. I do have three minor quibbles: there were almost no female characters in the book and the ones that did exist were unimportant and practically invisible; a major battle near the beginning was completely omitted; and the end wrapped up too quickly. But regardless, it was a fun and enthralling SF story.


113 / 150 books. 75% done!

64 / 75 *new books. 85% done!

3 / 10 ^non-fiction. 30% done!

32254 / 45000 pages. 72% done!
Audiobooks: 26h30m

114. ^*Mind-Rain: Your Favorite Authors on Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld, ed (out of order) (240)

Essays and short stories related to Westerfeld's Uglies series. They were really fascinating to read, including some totally different perspectives on the characters. For example, who is the real hero of the series: Tally or Shay? It was a great read, including the two short that were the inspiration for the series.

115. *Saga by Conor Kostik (334)

Sequel to Epic. A secret probe has arrived on New Earth, which excised Epic from their computer system and installed another game, Saga. The people of New Earth are becoming addicted to Saga like a drug. Can Eric and his unusual new friends save two worlds?

Saga was quite different from Epic; although it was set in the same universe, it was almost entirely set within Saga and the main characters are NPCs, or characters from the game. It's a good book, I liked it nearly as much as I liked Epic.

116. Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (212)
117. Searching For Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (242)
118. Calling On Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede (244)

119. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (546)

I felt like rereading this and I lent my copy to my sister, so I read it at the bookstore over the course of a few weeks. I really like it.

120. *^Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times by Mark Bittman (330)

Technically I didn't read every word of this, but I skimmed every recipe and marked all the ones that looked interesting. I have various dietary limitations, so a lot of recipes are difficult to adapt or even just impossible for me, but this cookbook has lots of recipes that I plan to try. It's also fun that all the recipes (supposedly) take about 30 minutes to make, or if they take longer, it's "largely unattended".

121. The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman (122)


121 / 150 books. 81% done!

67 / 75 *new books. 89% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

34524 / 45000 pages. 77% done!
Audiobooks: 26h30m

Currently reading:
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susan Clarke (started a while ago, haven't gotten very far yet)
Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear (almost done, having trouble getting through the last few pages)

I said I wouldn't buy any books this month, and I haven't, but it was pretty easy this month when only one book that I want came out. Not buying books is going to get harder starting next month when all the new books I desperately want start coming out.

122. *Torchwood: The House That Jack Built by Guy Adams
Adult, Science Fiction, 256p

People keep dying in strange ways at a house that Jack used to own.

The plot is creepy and interesting and none of the minor characters are safe (although like most books of this kind, the main characters never seem to be in any real danger). Unfortunately, everything is a bit rushed and the resolution is not especially satisfactory.

The writing was ok for the most part, but the oddest mistakes kept popping up, like missing commas that totally changed the meaning of a sentence (or more often just made no sense whatsoever). I don't know if it was a writing problem or an editing problem, but either way, it was distracting.

Overall, the book is rather like a Torchwood episode - enjoyable but not really what I'd call good - except without the things that make the tv show so much fun (the actors, the witty banter, the special effects). Only recommended if you really like Torchwood.


122 / 150 books. 81% done!

68 / 75 *new books. 91% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

34780 / 45000 pages. 77% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

123. Wise Child by Monica Furlong
Young Adult, Fantasy, 228p

This is a historical fantasy about an orphaned* girl known as Wise Child, who is adopted by Juniper, essentially the village witch. Wise Child struggles first with her own fear, then between the joy in her new life and the disapproval and fear of the villagers - especially the priest - and later between her love for Juniper and the temptation of living like a lady with her real mother, Maeve.

Wise Child has been one of my favorite books for twenty years, since I was a child myself. Fulong is not shy about letting Wise Child act like a child. She is stubborn, proud, and makes all manner of silly and dangerous mistakes throughout the story, some of which put her and even Juniper in serious danger. But she also matures from a selfish, spoiled child into a caring, loving (though still sometimes exasperating) one.

One of my favorite lines in the book is something Juniper says to Wise Child: "You always feel someone must be to blame when you are tired or miserable or frightened, Wise Child. It may not be so at all - it may just be the weather of life - but even if they are to blame...does it matter?"

*She's not orphaned in the sense that her parents are dead, but they're both absent at the beginning of the story when her grandmother, who was caring for her, dies.


123 / 150 books. 82% done!

68 / 75 *new books. 91% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

35008 / 45000 pages. 78% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

124. *Ash by Malinda Lo
Young Adult, Fantasy, 272p

Ash lives with her father near a forest which is known for the fairy tales told about it. Few believe those tales anymore, but Ash's mother is one who does and after she dies, Ash begins having experiences that make her believe as well.

I enjoyed this book, though not as much as I had hoped. It's a retelling of the story of Cinderella, but unlike most fairy tale retellings I've read, the plot diverges from the familiar tale and becomes something very different. The plot and the writing style were quite good, the few characters that we got to know well were intriguing, and I liked many of the departures Lo made from the fairy tale.

Part of my problem with this book is the details that were left out. There were parts of the story that were missing - important characters that we learned almost nothing about - vital scenes that we didn't see. This gave the whole thing a slightly disjointed feel. In the reverse of so many books today, an additional ten or twenty pages could have added a great deal without harming the integrity of the story.

Also, part of the reason I originally picked this book up was because it was supposed to be "a lesbian retelling of Cinderella (...) in Ash’s world, homosexuality is entirely normal. People are more likely to be heterosexual, but nobody blinks when they see a same-sex couple." (Lo) I thought that was an interesting idea. Unfortunately, unless I missed something, it wasn't until half if not two-thirds of the way through the book that anybody saw or even mentioned a homosexual couple, Ash's new friend in the city never considerd the possibility that she might not be looking for a husband, and Ash's ambitious sister never considered flirting with any wealthy women. While nobody commented when they did see homosexual couples, nothing else seemed to support it being a normal part of life. This aspect of the story was tacked on after most of the story had already been written, and unfortunately it shows by not being particularly well integrated into the rest of the tale.


124 / 150 books. 83% done!

69 / 75 *new books. 92% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

35280 / 45000 pages. 78% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

125. Juniper by Monica Furlong
Young Adult, Fantasy, 198p

Prequel to Wise Child. Juniper, whose real name is Ninnoc, is a princess in Cornwall who is sent to learn about magic and healing from her godmother, Euny. At first she is horrified by Euny's poverty but gradually she begins to appreciate the simpler life and understand the power Euny draws from it. Juniper's own growing powers are tested when a childhood friend is bewitched by a dangerous sorcerer.

It always confused me that the story in this book didn't match the tale Juniper tells when Wise Child's leg is broken.

I love Juniper as a character, but this book is uneven. It's interesting to read about most of her training, the contrast between her life as a princess and her life with Euny, the differences between her two teachers, and the things she learned. But some things that are made out to be vital to the training or practice of their power in one book are not mentioned, glossed over, or changed in the other. It's very strange.

I do like this book, but it's not as good as Wise Child.


125 / 150 books. 83% done!

69 / 75 *new books. 92% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

35478 / 45000 pages. 79% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

I have always enjoyed the two Furlong books, and have them in my library. I have to thank you, because going to Amazon to double check my regret that she never wrote more children's fiction, I have discovered that in 2004 she wrote a concluding book, making this a trilogy, after the first two books being written in 1987 and 1992. It's out of print, but I found a copy at half.com for under $7 including shipping, and there are a couple more in that range if you are interested.

ETA The name of the third book is Colman.

Yeah, I've heard about Colman...I can't remember if I've read it or not, but most everything I've read about it sounds pretty unimpressed. I'll be interested in hearing your opinion, though.

Have you ever heard of Karen Cushman? She wrote Catherine, Called Birdy and The Midwife's Apprentice. They're straight fiction, not fantasy, but the characters, the setting, and the feel of them remind me of Furlong's books. Also, A Murder for Her Majesty by Beth Hilgartner and Quest for a Maid by Frances May Hendry. These are all books that are sort of shelved together in my mental library, if you know what I mean.

Wow man, you're reading a lot of things on my wishlist. And enjoying them, it seems!

126. *The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Glittering Storm by Stephen Cole, read by Elisabeth Sladen
Young Adult, Science Fiction, 1hr11m

Sarah Jane catches an old woman burgling her house early one morning, looking for gold. Not surprisingly, it all leads back to aliens.

A fairly light story, so far as the Whoverse goes, which is to be expected in the Sarah Jane Adventures. It was fine. I enjoyed it. Not much else to say, really.


126 / 150 books. 84% done!

70 / 75 *new books. 93% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

35478 / 45000 pages. 79% done!

127. Skinned by Robin Wasserman
Young Adult, Science Fiction, 384p

Reread before reading the new sequel (original review here).

128. *Crashed by Robin Wasserman
Young Adult, Science Fiction, 448p

Sequel to Skinned; Crashed is a continuation of the story and not a stand-alone book.

Lia has changed. Instead of arguing against the differences between mechs and humans, she is actively trying to convince new mechs that those differences are real and important, as Jude finally convinced her. But her loyalties are being tested constantly, and when she is unwittingly involved in the beginning of a holy war against mechs, she must decide finally if she will follow Jude or betray him.

While Skinned looked at the implications to self, family, and "normal" life and how all these necessarily change when a person's body so dramatically changes, Crashed is more about societal prejudice and trying to stay human when maybe you aren't anymore.

I like Crashed, though not as much as Skinned. I am looking foward to the third book in the trilogy, to see how everything is going to be tied up.


128 / 150 books. 85% done!

71 / 75 *new-books. 95% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

36310 / 45000 pages. 81% done!

129. *Fledgling by Octavia Butler
Adult, Fantasy, 320p

I liked this book, the worldbuilding and characterization were very thorough and the plot was captivating. There were some aspectes of the story that were disturbing, though I suppose that is hardly surprising given the author.

130. The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley
Young Adult, Fantasy, 216p

Anthology of short stories by Robin McKinley. They're all beautifully written and none of the stories are particularly tense (sometimes to the point of being anticlimactic, unfortunately).

The Door in the Hedge
The kingdom borders the fairy land and the occasional infant boy and teenage girl are kidnapped by the faeries. Nobody expects the beautiful, accomplished (though surprisingly not Mary Sueish) princess to be taken, because the faeries have always before been careful not to end families, and she is the only one. But, of course...

The writing, the language of the story is typical fantastic beautiful McKinley. I used to like this story - at least, the first half of it - but this time reading it, I couldn't help but wonder about all the unanswered questions. Why do the faeries have to steal children? Why do the people living in that kingdom stand for it? Neither is adequately, convincingly explained and if you really think about it, it's horrifying.

Even so, there really are no "bad guys" in this story, and it just sort of meanders along from start to finish. Unfortunately, though, the resolution doesn't really make much sense or explain things.

The Princess and the Frog
This story is much better - we're dropped into the middle of a conflict of wills where an evil smiling wizard or mage or what-have-you is slowly, insidiously taking over the kingdom from the inside. The princess is spunky and holds her own as well as she can, and the frog is great. Once again the climax leaves a little to be desired, though.

The Hunting of the Hind
The princess in this story is one of my favorite fairy-tale princesses. She is reminiscent of Aerin from The Hero and the Crown, the all-but-forgotten daughter of a king's second marriage who nonetheless loves her country and her family. For her beloved brother, she embarks on a quest that a dozen men have already failed at.

As with the other stories, I like the first half of the story but the second half doesn't quite live up to it. There is too much love at first sight as a replacement for plot and the climax is wanting. Also, I always thought there was more chemistry between Korah and Sellena than between any other pairing.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses
The twelve princess dance holes through their slippers every night and a retired soldier takes the challenge of finding out how and why.

Definitely the strongest story of the bunch, start to finish. There are a few unexplained bits, but overall it works. This is my favorite story in the book.


130 / 150 books. 87% done!

72 / 75 *new books. 96% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

36846 / 45000 pages. 82% done!
Audiobooks: 26h30m

October

131. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Adult, Fantasy, 405p

I was so tired from the job I had last month (among other things) that it actually took me about three weeks to read Sunshine. Usually it takes me about two days.

Still one of my absolute favorite books.

132. The Magician's Ward by Patricia Wrede
Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, 288p

133. A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny
Adult, Fantasy, 280p

134. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
Adult, Science Fiction, 311p

135. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
Adult, Science Fiction. 343p


135 / 150 books. 90% done!

72 / 75 *new books. 96% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

38473 / 45000 pages. 85% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

November

136. The Last Colony by John Scalzi
Adult, Science Fiction, 320p

137. Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi
Young Adult, Science Fiction, 416p

138. *Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Young Adult, Fiction, 371p

Micah lies almost constantly, to almost everyone. This is her attempt to tell her story without lying.

In many ways, this book was exactly what I was expecting. In other ways, it wasn't what I was expecting at all, and I feel struck by a sort of mental whiplash caused by trying to figure out and keep track of what was true and what wasn't.

It is skillfully written and utterly fascinating.


138 / 159 books. 87% done!

73 / 75 *new books. 97% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

39580 / 45000 pages. 88% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

139. Page by Tamora Pierce
Young Adult, Fantasy, 288p

Page covers Kel's second, third, and forth years as a page. She passed her first year's probationary period and has gained acceptance from many people, but she still must fight prejudice from some quarters, including several teachers, a gaggle of fellow students, and conservative nobles who oppose any change in the status quo.

This book has its ups and downs. The dialogue occasionally knocks me out of suspension of disbelief by being sounding too modern and there are long stretches of time that are glossed over or simply absent because the book covers three years and occasionally this is jarring. However, overall I enjoy the book.

140. Squire by Tamora Pierce
Young Adult, Fantasy, 380p

Kel passes the big exams and has become a squire. Lady Alanna is still not allowed to be near her (for fear that she'll enchant Kel to succeed), dashing Kel's hopes of being her squire, but instead Kel is chosen by Alanna's friend Raoul to squire for him and travel with the warriors of the King's Own.

This is one of my favorite Tamora Pierce books - Kel is my favorite, in my opinion the most realistic and the least Mary-Sueish of Pierce's heroines, in part because she has no innate magical ability and therefore must figure everything out without that kind of help (or crutch). Squire is my favorite of the Protector of the Small books, possibly because Kel is such a quiet and serious character most of the time and in Squire, with Raoul and the men of the Own around, her sense of humor comes out.


140 / 150 books. 93% done!

73 / 75 *new books. 97% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

40248 / 45000 pages. 89% done!

Audiobooks: 26h30m

141. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce
Young Adult, Fantasy, 409 pages

142. *Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
Adult, Fantasy, Short Stories, 389 pages

There is some wonderful imagery and ideas in these stories, but Link has a problem with endings. The stories either sort of fade away or just stop with no resolution. And the final story, the titular story, was a great idea with a twist that surprised me and I really wanted to liked, but it was ruined at the end by an annoying patronizing moralistic bit directed at the reader, who the author clearly thinks must be too stupid to realize the clever thing she just did there.

Overall, like I said before, I wanted to like these stories, but there were only one or two that I cared for and I don't plan to read any more of her work.

143. Dragonsong by Anne Mccaffrey (176)
144. Dragonsinger (240)
145. Dragondrums (193)
Young Adult, Fantasy

Remember what I said about being patronizing and thinking readers are stupid? I've always thought McCaffrey had that problem, too. This trilogy are the only Pern books that I like, and them just barely, since even they have the same issues. The same things are explained over and over again, or in ways that really seem to be talking down to the reader. I like the story and some of the characters, but I often consider ways that I would rewrite sentences or whole paragraphs to make them sound better.

I'd still like a fire lizard, though.


145 / 150 books. 97% done!

74 / 75 *new books. 99% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

41655 / 45000 pages. 93% done!

146. *Fire by Kristin Cashore
Young Adult, Fantasy, 461 pages
Companion to Graceling

Fire is a monster - an unnaturally beautiful creature who can control the minds of people and animals around her. Fire is also human. As a human monster, she is mistrusted, hated, feared, and desired. Her father was a monster and also a moster, cruel, controlling, and indiscriminate in the use of his abilities, but Fire was raised with human morals.

It's not easy to describe this book, because the story is less about people running around doing things then about the various characters learning about each other and themselves. And yet the story moves quickly and there is certainly action, since Fire's country is at war. Fire is a wonderful book.

147. *Makers by Cory Doctorow
Adult, Science Fiction, 416 pages

I liked the idea of this book and I would have enjoyed the main story and the geekery of it, but there is an odd obsession with weight and obesity starting on the first page that I found very off-putting. I suppose the idea is not inappropriate in a "near-future fable", given current political and social views, but the way it's handled made me cringe. Frequently. Fat people are (ironically) 2-dimensional characters, called "the obese" or, later "the fatkins", no matter who's talking. Doctorow assumes that all fat people want the same thing (to be thin) and will do any idiotic, untested thing to get it. And to assume that being thin will make people happy is just plain stupid. But of course they get what they deserve in the end, right?

I think I would have liked this book without that (unnecessary and cringe-inducing) subplot but it was so annoying and distracting that it overwhelmed many of the good aspects. I won't be reading it again and I don't recommend it.

148. *Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson
YA/Adult, Fantasy, Short Stories, 297 pages

Of the five stories in this anthology, I liked Phoenix by Peter Dickinson, loved Hellhound and First Flight by Robin McKinley, and didn't particularly care for Fireworm or Salamander Man by Peter Dickinson.

149. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
Adult, Science Fiction (humorous), 396 pages

150. *The poison eaters & other stories by Holly Black
YA, Fantasy, short stories, 158 pages
Early Reviewer

It was like reading a book of fables, but I couldn't work out what the morals were supposed to be (which may be a plus, actually). There was a real mixture of stores I liked and stories I didn't care for but regardless, it was a fun little book and a quick read.


150 / 150 books. 100% done!

78 / 75 *new books. 104% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

43383 / 45000 pages. 96% done!

151. Sorcery and Cecelia, or the enchanted chocolate pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevemer
YA, historical fantasy, 326 pages

152. *Conrad's Fate by Diana Wynne Jones
Young Adult, fantasy, 393 pages
Chrestomanci

I thought I read this once before (and really, really liked it) but I remembered almost nothing about it. I liked it, but I think I'll need to read it another time or two before I really get what was going on.

153. Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
Young Adult, fantasy, 534 pages
Tortall (Beka Cooper)

154. *The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevemer
Young Adult, historical fantasy, 326 pages
sequel to Sorcery and Cecelia

155. Terrier by Tamora Pierce
Young Adult, fantasy, 563 pages
Tortall (Beka Cooper)

156. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi
Adult, Science Fiction (humorous), 365 pages

157. The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce
Young Adult, fantasy, 539 pages
Emelan


157 / 157 books. 100% done!

80 / 80 *new books. 100% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

46429 / 45000 pages. 103% done!

158. *The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E Lockhart
Young Adult, Fiction, 342 pages
SantaThing gift

Frances Landau-Banks, aka Frankie, aka Bunny Rabbit (to her family), is going to be a sophomore at boarding school this year. It's the same boarding school that her older sister went to (they overlapped last year), and the same boarding school that their father went to when he was their age (and he hints at stories that pique Frankie's curiosity). She decides rather unexpectedly to make her mark at the school.

This has got to be one of the best-written books I've read, possibly ever. Even when the story didn't particularly interest me (I mean, boarding school? really?) or when I didn't especially care for the characters (I've never cared for "popular" kids, or for pranks either), I still wanted to keep reading it, just for the wonderful way the book was written. My sister recently lent me two other books by Lockhart and they are now at the top of my TBR pile.

159. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Young Adult, Science Fiction, 335 pages
SantaThing Gift

I read this first in March (review in msg 22) and reread it just now. It was nearly as creepy and just as amazing the second time through.


159 / 159 books. 100% done!

81 / 81 *new books. 100% done!

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. 50% done!

47106 / 47106 pages. 100% done!

I wanted to post this before the year ends. I'll put in the final tallies later.

160. The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones
Young Adult, fantasy, 480 pages
Chrestomanci series

161. *The Boy Book by E Lockhart
YA, fiction, 224 pages
Sequel to The Boyfriend List

More fabulous writing from Lockhart.

162. *The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart
YA, fiction, 229 pages
Prequel to The Boy Book

Roo (Ruby Oliver) has had a difficult month. Her boyfriend dumped her for her best friend, all her friends stopped speaking to her, and a very embarrassing piece of paper was copied and distributed around her entire school - the boyfriend list. It was homework for her therapist. It was a list of every boy she ever kissed, went on a date with, or did anything else even remotely approaching boyfriend territory.

I just love Roo's voice in this and The Boy Book. In this book, each chapter is one name from the list and along with the present-day story of how she's in therapy, dealing with her former friends and crazy parents, and trying to move on, we also get the back story on each guy, and the story of the falling-out with her friends. There are at least three timelines twisting around each other, but it reads effortlessly.


162 / 162 books. (original goal: 150)

83 / 83 ^new books. (original goal: 75)

5 / 10 ^non-fiction. (fail)

48039 / 48039 pages. (original goal: 45000)

Some stats regarding my reading habits over the past year:

Total books: 162 (last year: 156)
Total new books: 83 (last year: 71)
Total pages: 48039 (last year: 42398)
Total audio book time: 26h30m (last year: 33h22m)
Total graphic novels: 1 (last year: 1)

F/SF rereads: 68 (last year: 65)
F/SF new reads: 61 (last year: 51)
Fiction rereads: 11 (last year: 4)
Fiction new reads: 17 (last year: 11)
Nonfiction new reads: 5 (last year: 7)

Doctor Who and related series books (mostly audio): 15 (last year: 11)

Average pages per day: 131 (last year: 116)
Unique books: 152 (last year: 135)
Books read 2 times during 2009: 7 (last year: 12)
Books read 3 times during 2009: 4 (last year: 0)