Happy New Year! What are you reading in January?

I didn't see a thread on this yet, so I thought I would start one. I can't believe I did this, but I was so determined NOT to start a challenge book early, that I wound up not starting one on time either! I started rereading Death at Wentwater Court last night and finished it today. We're planning to go to see Avatar this afternoon, but I'm starting Storm Front tonight for sure. Can't wait!

Happy New Year!

I think I planned it a little better - I managed to finish my last book of 2009 at 11.59 pm;-)

I have already started three towards this challenge
F&SF category - Blood Music by Greg Bear
Ancient History category - Herodotus's Histories
I also expanded Ancient History category to include Prehistory and early civilisations and am reading The Prehistory of the Mind by Steven Mithen.

Im aiming at mixing fat ones and thin ones to keep the thread active, and keep it pretty page-turn-ey to start (Jelinek, Steinbeck, Spark, Kivi and Soyinka will all have to wait for later...). I'm just on the first few pages of Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, and it looks promising indeed!

Happy New year and the start of the 1010 Challenge for me!

My first book will be Moonlight in Odessa - a nice fit for my What a Debut! author's debut novels category.

I have completed The Picture of Dorian Gray and hope to get through The Three Musketeers and Briar Rose. If I get lucky, timewise, I could at least start a book on the Templars. Ooops. And I forgot Storm Front. But that's an easy one.

I read the final chapter of my last 2009 book this morning.

My first official 2010 book will be The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More, and Live Better by Chris Farrell of NPR because it's a free publisher's review copy.

It does sound all new year's resolution-y.

I have just started a girlie light read called A Good Girl Comes Undone by Polly Williams. I have recently read some more weighty books so felt ready for something light and fluffy to start the NY.

I'm early in the process of reading Doctor Zhivago, and I'm about half-way through Mudhouse Sabbath. I'm also reading a collection of poems by Thomas Hardy from dailylit.com.

Started the year with something from the fun pile: Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men by Colin Bateman. It's the 2nd in a series about an Irish reporter who gets mixed up in criminal goings on.

I finished Give a Little: How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World by Wendy Smith this morning.

Now, I'm off to read one of those short presidential bios in the American Presidents series, James Monroe by Gary Hart.

I finished Storm Front earlier this afternoon and am now reading End in fire

I finished my first book of the year this morning, Man of Two Tribes, an Australian detective novel. I'm also reading What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew for my non-fiction category and Cranford for my new-to-me category.

I'm reading Evans Above, the first in the series, so I can read and return book #2 to the library by Monday. Then it's on to Viola in Reel Life, Royal Flush, and The Brightest Star in the Sky.

I finished I, Alex Cross a little while ago and am now juggling Remembered Death and Miss Marple:The Complete Stories.

I jump-started the year with a quick book for my Just Because category. The book was Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. It wasn't a great book, but it was good for a few laughs and definitely appropriate to read for the holiday season.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Today I started a book on the way home from a wedding in Boston last night. It is one from my winter theme catagory called Scarlet and the White Wolf by Kirby Crow.

I just started Gentlemen of the Road, which I received for Hanukah last year (eek).

I'm continuing on with The Swarm, one from the 1001 list.
It's over 800 pages long. One of those End-of-the-World plots, which is an interesting way to start the new year, but it's fairly classy ;-)

The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories by Herodotus
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times by H.W. Brands
Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2) by Jim Butcher
The Dead Room by Robert Ellis
Discovering the Great Masters: The Art Lover's Guide to Understanding Symbols in Paintings by Paul Crenshaw

I'm a bit over halfway through Brightness Falls from the Air for my sci-fi/fantasy category -- I'm not very impressed, so far, but the outstanding Tiptree biography that I just finished (James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon) prepared me for the likelihood that it wouldn't be one of Tiptree's better works. The narrative tone and dialogue are often precious and immature, and the present tense narration of BFftA feels odd. (According to the biography, some of Tiptree's editor friends may have agreed...) Some of the concepts in the novel are interesting...I'm just not loving the characters, dialogue, etc.

I'm also about 2/3 through American Silent Film for my history/biography category, and loving it. I'm watching a lot of the silent films mentioned in it via Netflix simultaneously. Thank heaven for streaming Netflix, too -- a lot of good silents are available for instant viewing.

Some books I'm eyeing for the rest of this month are The Detective Wore Silk Drawers and/or Paladin of Souls for my "next in series" category, Powder and Patch for my "Georgette Heyer or Iris Murdoch" category, and Dracula and/or The Old Man and the Sea for the "books people mistakenly assume I've read" category.

#20 I liked Paladin of Souls quite a bit myself, though perhaps not quite as much as Curse of Chalion, which just set a high standard. I still have to read the third book in that world *frown*. Have you also read Bujold's The Sharing Knife series? I've read the first two and loved them, but still have to read the final two volumes.

I had to finish up a couple of 2009 reads but was able to start Hunting and Gathering & Storm Front yesterday.
I've also made a start on a nonfiction book - French Toast.

I'm almost done with Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos, which fits nicely in my mystery category. I'm reading Paris: The Secret History for my non-fiction category, and Elsewhere for my YA category. I hope to get Storm Front and Anne of Green Gables at the library today or Monday to start for the group reads. I have multiple copies of Anne of Green Gables, as it's one of my all-time favorites, but I can't seem to find any of them at the moment, which is very annoying. There are way too many books in my house!

I finished 2009 with Mr. Timothy by Louis Bayard, an excellent book about Tiny Tim grown up. It has as its setting Victorian London at Christmastime. Then my first book of 2010 was the not-very-good Murder in the Marais by Cara Black.

I picked up a graphic novel called Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale for my daughter today and am reading it before I give it to her. It's a wild west re-imagining of the classic fairy tale. I've also begun Forty Words for Sorrow by Giles Blunt, which is set in Algonquin Bay, Ontario in February.

edited because grammar matters!

I really liked Rapunzel's Revenge. I finished Storm Front last night and now I'm reading After You'd Gone. Good so far.

I've started Serenade by James M. Cain.

I'm halfway through Wicked by Gregory Maguire at the moment; I'm not sure what book I'll read next. I'm trying to keep my reading down so I can study for the SAT but it turns out that this book is pretty addictive.

I've just started Eating: A Memoir by Jason Epstein, a recently-retired book editor.

Also started The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel but I don't think that will fit any of my categories. I usually go a little over 100 books read in a year, so that doesn't worry me.

Ooh, Wicked is good. I envy you reading it for the first time, but it would definitely be bad for study habits.

Reading Pride and Prejudice; Histories of Herodotus; and about to start The Pickwick Papers.

I just finished The Picture of Dorian Gray, and next will start Herodotus' Histories.

I'm not sure what after that. Maybe The Help, maybe Anne of Avonlea. Or -- based on #27 & #29 -- maybe I should move Wicked to the top of the tbr stack.

I'm making my way through Storm Front and have started a couple of others including Les Miserables.

I am also reading Storm Front as well as Inkheart.

I am reading The Nibelungenlied in a quite good verse translation into Bulgarian. Mainly. And will probably start a novel or a collection today. Or some non-fiction. Or whatever catches my eye really.

I more or less cleaned all I was reading last year (stopped one of them and will start again later - I had read 50 pages for 3 months and the book is interesting - just wrong time, wrong place usually) and I do not have any of the usual 3-5 books running :)

Reading Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke so far its really yummy.

Started Daphne by Justine Picardie and I'm really enjoying it so far.

36> That one sounds really good. Can't wait to hear what you think of it.

I have just started The Old Man and the Sea for my 1001 Books category. Still going with Les Miserables for the readalong.

I'm still going with Everything is Illuminated such a pain how work gets in the way of "reading for pleasure". I think I'll either go for Old Filth next one of the nominees for the orange prize (fits into my prizes category) or remain in the 1001 books category with Vineland.

I've been sidetracked with Life Sentences by Laura Lippman. I haven't read any of her series mysteries, but I really like her stand alone novels and this one leaped out at me while I was at the library.

Finished with Gentlemen of the Road. Started in on Rewilding the world which I am not disappointed with!

Also, reading zorro aloud to my wife, in earnest now, and we are about 100 pages in.

finished picture of dorian grey now reading sewer, gas and electric xmas has added a lovely pile to my TBR - just need to crowbar the pressies into the challenge categories....

>41 GoofyOcean110: isn't it lovely to read together? Now if only the SO and I could agree on something... How did you settle on Zorro?

I finished The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle Monday and now I'm reading Foundation by Mercedes Lackey. Next up is Stormqueen! by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

I started the year (and the Challenge) with Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair At Styles, which I loved. Now I am reading Death of a Red Heroine (Alphabet Challenge) and Lights Out Liverpool (10-10 Challenge). I also have a couple on order from the library to help finish my Alphabet Challenge, Blue Star and A Year Of Fog.

I started the year reading Oom, a member (author) giveaway that wasn't on my 1010 and reviewed it, then started my first challenge book, Empire Falls, in my Award category. Reviewed it; what a great book! Yesterday, started One Hundred Years of Solitude, for 1001 category, and am totally intrigued. Already my reading has been greatly expanded.

>41 GoofyOcean110: I'm going to add Rewilding the World to my Nature/Conservation category. Thanks!

43> Yeah, it's fun. I find I enjoy reading aloud more than I like listening to her though -- not sure why, and I'm a bit surprised. Zorro was actually a book club book, but was a good fit as she has enjoyed other Allende books, and I like the story and its swashbuckling nature. I may even pick up another Allende book in the future. We have House of spirits on our shelves as well.

46> Cool! So far, its well organized and written, and the subject matter is fascinating - though perhaps I'm biased since I'm an ecologist. She's got plenty of endnotes and so far she's done her research well. Hopefully that will continue through the rest of the book. :)

I just finished Passing earlier today and this evening I wil begin Build My Gallows High which was the basis of the fantastic movie Out of the Past, one of my faves!

@42 Sewer, gas and electric sounds utterly bonkers from the reviews. Really looking forward to your reaction once you've finished it!

Reading In the Heart of the Amazon Forest by Henry Walter Bates. Short break from The Pickwick Papers and Herodotus's Histories.

I went to the thrift store and picked up Notes from Underground and The Darkest Evening of the Year. Already started the 2nd one while I was waiting in line.

Just finished some ozlit Monkey Grip, now reading The Aeneid which seems easier in comparison. Also In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower, ongoing Proust read.

About to start Helen of Troy by Margaret George - I may be a while - it's over 700 pages.

53> That one is on my TBR pile along with The Memoirs of Cleopatra but they both scare me. LOL

Landmark Herodotus, Fever of the Bone and The Song of the Nibelungs for me at the moment.

#48 I really enjoyed Build My Gallows High, keep meaning to try more books of his. I haven't seen the film either so must check that out!

I've been speeding through the baby books - not such a challenging category, but fun to read with my boy.

I've also now started the challenge properly
- i'm well underway with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for my Scandinavian category - really enjoyed the first third where the scene is being set, and appetites whetted. So far not sure the rest of the book is living up the solid start.

I've also part way through The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart, which is a comfort reread from my early teens, and am a few chapters into A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, which my mum highly recommended and which seems really great so far.

44, let us know how you get on with Stormqueen. It was one of my faves of MZB along with Heritage of Hastur and Thendara House. If you like it I'd love some recommendations for my sci fi category!

45 - I was thinking of trying some Agatha Christie for my crime category. Any suggestions for a good introduction to her?

#57 - Steph, I would recommend The Mysterious Affair At Styles as it was her first published book and also as it introduces Hercule Poirot. Also Murder At the Vicarage as that is the first Miss Marple book. And Then There Were None is one of her best, IMO. Murder On the Orient Express is a fun read too.

Just finished Homicide in Hardcover and am reading Loving a Lost Lord which isn't as good as I had hoped. Also started The Histories by Herodotus.

I'm reading Homer's Odyssey, which was a Christmas present and is about a blind cat and not an eventful sea voyage.

I've also begun Blackwater by Kerstin Ekman, a Swedish crime novel.

There's a fair amount of Ancient Greek down here. I'm starting to be interested in this Landmark Herodotus. Have fun group readers.

I'm reading The History of God by Karen Armstrong for my History category, and impatiently waiting for my copy of Landmark Herodotus to get here so that I can join the group read. Hurry up, Amazon!

I finished The Eustace Diamonds this morning. Really fun. Now I'm reading Band of Brothers and The Darkest Evening of the Year.

57 - Hang in there. The end is really good.

I started The Lost Daughter of Happiness today before class and am already 70 pages in! This is for my Asia category.

I've started The Book With No Name as my next read. Impulsively picked up from a charity shop.

I have been intrigued by The Book With No Name since i read about it. I hope it is good!

Reading The Glass Room. Brooklyn is coming up next.

I've started Nightfall by David Goodis

54. The books are big but Margaret George's style makes them easy to read.

57) Thanks DeltaQueen50 - I think I'll head down to the local library give one of the a go.

60) Ridgeway Girl - How is Blackwater going so far? I've just finished Girl with the Dragon Tatto, and wasn't really too sure how much I liked it, although it was a fairly gripping read and some real high points. Is is one you've read?.

@70 I really liked Blackwater when I read it many years ago. Still remains one of Kerstin Ekman's strongest, IMO. But if you're looking for a crime novel specifically, this might not be it.

Last night I started two books.

When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins

The EC Archives: Two-Fisted Tales, Volume 1

I'm enjoying Blackwater and it's taking over from the other two I'm currently reading.

I am starting Stays Crunchy in Milk by Adam P Knave.

VictoriaPL; How was Nightfall?

Finished One Hundred Years of Solitude last night (1001 Books Cat.). Still deciding what to write, but it was wonderfull.
Today, I think I'll start something from the Fantasy Cat.

KAzevedo... just posted my review...

#57, I'll definitely post what I thought of Stormqueen. I've only read Darkover Landfall before, so I have at least one Darkover book planned for every month of this year and for most of next year as well.

I'll pop on over to your post and give you a bunch of recommendations. :-D

Taking a break from my usual murder and serial killers, I started Grapes of Wrath which is excellent so far. It really puts your life into perspective, especially with our still dismal economy right now.

Jumping into the challenge a few days late. Currently reading Rabbit, Run - John Updike, and The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger.
Enjoying each in their own way so far.

Look forward to spending time checking out others' categories and lists as I work on setting up my own.

I've started three books for group reads and book club The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Successor, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and I'm going to start one of my zombie books this weekend as well. My plan to read less at the same time is failing miserably and it's only the first week of January.

I'm now reading Possession : A Romance by A. S. Byatt as part of my mysteries category. (Well it says "literary mystery" in the blurb and I have to put it somewhere!)

Even though I love, love, love Wicked so far, I didn't feel like getting up to get my book so, since I have The Catch Trap on ebook, I've started it. It is very highly rated on here and I am not disappointed at all. It is an amazing novel so far!

>76 VictoriaPL: Thanks Victoria.

I finished One Hundred Years of Solitude for my Award Winner category, and started the first book of a fantasy series for my Fantasy category, Aurian by Maggie Furey.

http://www.librarything.com/review/54037267

Another I probably never would have read without the challenge. This is great!

Finished Boneshaker yesterday. Great fun and a nicely exectuded mix of genres, even though it fell into a few clichés towards the end. Now dusting off These demented lands for my "Moldy ones" category.

Finished Helen of Troy for my biography category and about to start a Wodehouse collection of short stories about The Inimitable Jeeves.

@66 Belladonna, I've finished The Book With No Name last night and posted my comments in my thread.

The Inimitable Jeeves an amusing introduction to the world of Jeeves and Berty Wooster.

On to Agatha Christie and Poirot's first case, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I will also be starting my reread of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Still reading Pickwick, 2 chapters a day.

Last night I wanted something familiar and comforting, so I started a re-read of The Gilded Chain: A Tale of the King's Blades by Dave Duncan, which is one of my favorite fantasy novels.

I finished Orlando by Virginia Woolf last week, and World War Z by Max Brooks on Saturday. Just started Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham today.

I finished The Chosen and Band of Brothers and now I'm ready to start The Winter Queen.

Finished Rabbit, Run, still reading The Time Traveller's Wife. Need more than one book on the go though... not sure what I'll start next.

I'm reading Fault Lines by Nancy Huston and Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. I've also begun a biography of Flannery O'Connor called Flannery. So much for the one book at a time idea.

I am starting Independence by Kate Kasserman

I have a few pages left in Grapes of Wrath and I am 100 pages into The Unfinished Clue

Finished The Winter Queen only to realize that I have read it sometime in the past.

I started Daughter Of the Forest by Juliet Marillier for my Fantasy Category.

#79 - Isn't Time Traveller's Wife good - I couldn't put that book down. Still trying to decide whether or not to see the movie.

# 96 - Daughter of the Forest is one book you won't ever regret picking up - the series is fantastic, the story stays with me even though I read it when it was first released.

Personally, I am currently reading Sherlock Holmes. Its different than what I expected but now I am used to the framework, I am really enjoying the short stories.

Thanks Bear1982, I fell in love with Juliet Marillier when I read Wildwood Dancing last year. I am really looking forward to reading this one. It's strange but I am also reading the complete Sherlock Holmes as well, I keep it beside my bed and read a story between all the other books. Loving it as well.

I read Daughter of the Forest last year and it was one of my favorite books I read in 2009, so much so that I read the whole series in 4 months, which I never do anymore. I also loved Wildwood Dancing and the sequel Cybele's Secret. I'm very much looking forward to the sequels Marillier has planned for both series. This year, I plan to read her other two series. It's great to discover a new favorite author.

I started listening to the Sherlock Holmes books last year from Librivox but then I had iPod and computer problems so I'll have to get back to them this year.

I'm reading Stormqueen! by Marion Zimmer Bradley now and I'm enjoying it much more than I did Darkover Landfall.

I am so happy to read what you all are saying about Juliet Marillier. The Daughter of the Forest is on my 1010 challenge and it will be my first of hers. And of course, I learned about her from LT ers.

Right now, I'm still reading my first Maggie Furey, Aurian, which is her first book. Not much character development, but very good writing and a racing plot. Lots of fun! Also recommended by LTers.

I hope everyone else reading or planning to read Daughter of the Forest loves it as much as I did because we all deserve good books. :-D

And I'm happy to hear that Aurian is fun with a fast plot because it's on Mt. TBR. I don't know when I'll get to read it- and its sequels- but I'm looking forward to it.

I finished listening to 1968: the year that rocked the world, and posted my review, and now I've gotten about 45 minutes into Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Which I had started and gotten fairly far into a long while ago, but have decided to restart again in earnest. It's very well written, and I was enjoying it. I think I only ran out of steam when my commuting patterns changed.

I'm finishing up The Picture of Dorian Gray and I have Lucky Girl, another memoir, waiting for me at the library. I've heard great things about Lucky Girl so I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm reading my Early Reviewer book, Vienna Secrets by Frank Tallis. It's the fourth in the series but not having read the previous books does not prevent me enjoying this (so far) excellent historical mystery.

#104 I'm reading the second book in that series, Vienna Blood, and am enjoying it immensely! I read the first book in the series, A Death in Vienna, within the last few months and became hooked, so I imagine I'll roll around to reading Fatal Lies and Vienna Secrets some time later this year. I hope the one you're reading continues to be as good!

>101 Quaisior: Quasior, I finished Aurian and wrote a very short review. I did enjoy the whole book and will read the rest; I'm wondering if her character development will begin to echo the plot.

Last night,started So Many Enemies, So Little Time by Elinor Burkett for my Life Stories Category. I'm not much of a nonfiction reader but am already about halfway. It's an easy read about the author's year in Kyrgyzstan teaching Journalism on a Fullbright exchange. She arrives there just before 9/11. It has stimulated my interest in the history of Central Asia, especially Afghanistan, and I'm looking for some recommendations for books that are not too dry and dense for a non history buff. Thanks.

Next up is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (Booker Prize Winner 2009).
This could fit into at least 3 of my categories. It is historical fiction, a bookcrossing book and fits into the Prizes (recent) Category. The category winner is.....10 prizes (recent) category....for the moment anyway.

I've heard a lot about Wolf Hall. Maybe I'll have to check it out. I just finished Some Danger Involved - a lot of fun. Not sure what I'll read next. Something light, as I'm not up to thinking much.

I'm about halfway through both The Anglo Files and Wide Sargasso Sea.

I just finished reading Cruel Intent and Trial by Fire, both by J. A. Jance, and got a handful of pages into The Rainbow: From Myth to Mathematics by Carl B. Boyer. (Suggested by reading about Noah in Genesis and because it's been on my shelves for years!)

I'm currently reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery which my mother-in-law highly recommended. Also in progress is Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Much Obliged, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. It sort of depends on my mood and whether I need to go to sleep or not. Half the Sky gets me too riled up to read right before bedtime. Have to read it during the day.

Finished Fables: Legends in Exile today - the first in a series of graphic novels by Bill Willinghma - enjoyed it. And started Hello America by J. G. Ballard.

Still reading Possession : A Romance by A S Byatt but I've added two more to my currently reading list

Before the Dawn by Nicholas Wade and Myths of the Norsemen (AKA - The Saga of Asgard) by Roger Lancelyn Green.

Just finished Smile or Die, also known as Brightsided, by Barbara Ehrenreich. It's about the ludicrous claims made by the proponents of positive thinking.

I have been reading books for Orange January:
Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels
Larry's Party by Carol Shields
When I lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant
Nearly finished Property by Valerie Martin.
Next will be The Road Home by Rose Tremain.

Also reread Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

And reading 3 stories a day of The Secret Self an anthology of 20th Century Short Stories by Women Writers.

englishrose60 - What is Orange January?

Right now I am reading The Manchurian Candidate and enjoying it.

Since Joseph Conrad's novels were mentioned in the last two books I read, I thought it was time I tackled one of them. I'm currently working my way through Nostromo. I have his The Secret Agent and started reading it several years ago, but, for some reason I can't remember, I didn't finish it.

Finished So Many Enemies, So Little Time, which was good, and started The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.

> 118, The Curious Incident mentions Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I remember trying to read it as a kid and not succeeding. Maybe I'll pick it up again.

I just finished Monica Ferris' Thai Die tonight. I'm about to begin Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna.

>109 mstrust:. Wide Sargasso Sea is coming up soon for me as well. I'll be curious to see how you like it.

116. In the Girlybooks Group, which is devoted to reading books written by women, we have an Orange January and July. During these 2 months we try to read books which have been nominated for the Orange Prize over the years. The Orange Prize is awarded to books written by women. Hope this answers your query. It's a great Group to belong to.

I have started Mansfield Park and Mummies:Monster Mayhem, Matrimony, Ancient Curses, True Love and Other Dire Delights.

englishrose60 - Thanks for the explanation. I spent the longest time looking over your list of books trying to figure out what heck they had to do with the color orange:)! It does sound like an interesting group.

Finished The Curious Incident.... What a strange and amazing little book. I was amazed at how Haddon could make the voice of the autistic narrator seem so real. So many layers in the story. Great!

Started Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger the first in a series about an ex-cop living in a small town in Minnesota. Terrific atmosphere and a likable, flawed hero.

The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories by Herodotus - for group read
Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History by David Christian (I'm also watching The Teaching Company's course on Big History, taught by Christian, and the book is the text for it)
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times by H.W. Brands (Jackson was the first president born into real poverty and frontier life. Brands gives fascinating detail of how that background made him an Indian fighter, roughneck, and soldier.)
Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2) by Jim Butcher
Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species by Dr. Sean B. Carroll
The Secret People by John Wyndham (another ILL, hurray for the public library!)

I have finished The Lost Daughter of Happiness, which was an absorbing read about an Chinese prostitute in 1860s San Francisco.
I have moved on to The Grass is Singing, a 1001 book and a book I was given a while ago. I am about halfway through just now, reading about a city girl who marries a farmer in South Africa.
And last, but not least, Les Miserables - I am just coming to the end of Part 3.

I am starting In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B Hughes.

I am almost done with Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson and then I am heading into Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.

Finally finished my 1st book for the challenge! hmm I now I have to write a review... still the The Road by Cormac McCarthy was very good.

Right now "dipping" into Wild Swimming and reading The haunting of Hill House (both very good so far).

About 3/4 into The girl who kicked the hornets' nest. I like it, and it's an engrossing read, but am I the only one feeling that Mikael Blomkvist is a tad annoying? Also, Larsson's obsession with friends having uncomplicated casual sex is getting on my nerves a little. Oh well.

Just started The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy. Read Ch.1 in which Hardy describes Egdon Heath where the story takes place. Very atmospheric.

I'm deep into Albion's Seed. I'm enjoying it, but wow, what a dense book. Exhaustively researched, and rather slow going.

Reading Wolf Hall.

Interested to hear about In a Lonely Place Victoria. It's on my wishlist.

I'm currently reading Zelda: A Biography by Nancy Milford.
I have already finished two books this January (Peach Blossom Pavilion and The Tea Rose)

Just started Jasper Jones from my tbr pile and As the earth turns silver for New Zealand fiction.

I am currently reading The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen and will soon be reading The Fire People by Alexander Cordell.

I've started Jumper by Steven Gould

OOO Victoria I love that book. I was so excited to see they were making a movie out of it (until I actually saw the movie). I hope you enjoy it!

I didn't know there was a book that the movie was based on. I agree there are better movies out there.

>138 Belladonna1975: Hey Belladonna! I enjoyed Jumper, although I was very surprised at how different it was from the movie. I'll post my review soon.

I'm starting on Dark Passage by David Goodis.

I finished Stormqueen! the other day and I liked it a lot better than the first Darkover book I read and I'll be reading Hawkmistress! in a couple weeks.

I also read the Farscape book House of Cards by Keith R. A. DeCandido. I was really impressed with this one and I've been impressed with DeCandido's writing for the Farscape comics too.

Today I started A Different Light by Elizabeth A. Lynn. I liked her Tornor books but until now, I haven't read anything else by her.

I finished The Book Thief yesterday and miss it already. Now I'm starting Willful Creatures and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Also, I'm making my way through The Histories and Jefferson's Writings.

I started Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith today and Dear Irene by Jan Burke. Trying to read one from each of my 10 categories before I repeat that category.

Managed to squeeze in another Christopher Brookmyre into this years challenge by reading the third book featuring Angelique de Xavia, A Snowball in Hell. It will fit into my Continuations section.

My 8th book of the year in my 8th category so I guess I'm going with the get each of them up and running participants as well.

Just returned from a business trip, so I was able to do some reading on airplanes.

Read all the way through Purity of Blood by Arturo Perez-Reverte (a swashbuckler) and Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (a humorous contemporary romance-ish). About 2/3 through The Song is You by Arthur Phillips, another contemporary one. Maybe romance is the word for these. The discussions and ruminations on relationships in general are more central than whether characters get together, and both are mostly from a male perspective.

>145 kristenn: Kristenn, I haven't ready any of Arturo Perez-Reverte in awhile. Thanks for the reminder.

I'm still plugging away at Mansfield Park and Mummies and I'll be starting Lorna Doone shortly. My husband says the only reason I wanted to read the latter is so that I could get away with nibbling on a box of Lorna Doone shortbread. I think he's right.

I'm reading Fresh Kills, which takes place on Staten Island, where the famous dump is easier to smell than the ocean.

My year thus far has consisted of only group reads. I have completed:
The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden,
Miss Lonely Hearts by Nathanael West,
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy,
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, and
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Currently I am reading:
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo,
Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land by the "dreaded" Herman Melville,
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery,
The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig and
World Without End by Ken Follett, which I am loving, loving, loving.
Clarel is my only struggle thus far and it isn't even really a struggle, just that I keep picking it up and putting it down. I refuses to grab me. All of the others have.
After finishing the next one, whichever it may be, I will grab The Return of the Native. I am excited to read that one.
belva

>148 rainpebble: After finishing the next one, whichever it may be, I will grab The Return of the Native. I am excited to read that one.

Is it because of the ewes?

Ridgeway, what do you think of Fresh Kills so far? It sounds interesting from the book page.

I'm loving Fresh Kills, which is less the mystery it was blurbed to be, and more about a guy who has to come to terms with his relationship with his violent, alcoholic father when his father is murdered. It's beautifully put together and reminds me a little of Dennis Lahane's books. Staten Island is practically a main character.

>151 RidgewayGirl:, Well heck, another one for my wishlist!

>#149:
christiguc;
But of course!~! ;-)

So now I'm cruising the mean streets of Dublin (I know! That doesn't sound right to me either) in a hardboiled called The Wrong Kind of Blood.

I'm about halfway through The Song is You by Arthur Phillips. Basically a contemporary romance with a lot of side discussions about music.

I've also started on Paradise by Koji Suzuki (no touchstones for either - grrrrr) and Elsewhere by Will Shetterly.

I am now reading The Children's Book by A.S.Byatt. Good so far.

Finally finished Albion's Seed! And posted a long review on my thread. Hey, it was a long book! Also finished Random Harvest. Not sure what I want to read next.

I've found a little humourous gem in Rödöra (Oreille rouge, it sadly doesn't seem to be available in english), which I expect to finish tomorrow. After that I'm going for The etched city, ticking another New Weird portal work off my list.

I'm going back and forth with The Bell Jar and Monster in the Box.

I finished two today, Scoop and My Fair Godmother. Plus I picked up some more from the library. So I'm not sure what I'll start next, but maybe An Instance of the Fingerpost or Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.

I'm breathlessly reading One Good Turn and then I'll get back to The Wrong Kind of Blood. I seem only to be reading crime novels this year.

I finished 3 books yesterday Before the Dawn by Nicholas Wade - the best of the books that I've read on the subject of how genetics has increased our knowledge of the prehistory of man for my ancient history/prehistory category; The Myths of the Norsemen (AKA The Saga of Asgard) by Roger Lancelyn Green - a very good retelling of Norse mythology (myths and legends category)and Rats and Gargoyles by Mary Gentle - a very atmospheric fantasy novel but not counting towards my 1010.

This means that I am now back reading this week's section of World Without End for the 75 Book Challenge Group Read and my historical fiction category.

Next up are The Cave Painters by Gregory Curtis for my non-fiction read which is going into my inspired by other books category; The Tales of Beedle the Bard for my short story read which is going in myths and legends (well they are the fairy tales told to young wizards in the Harry Potter series) and An Echo in the Bone the latest instalment of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander saga, another for my historical fiction category.

Reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and making myself get things done before I pick it up again, because I'll have to read until it's finished.

ETA
Touchstone works, then disappears.

>164 pamelad: I've heard such good things about that series Pam.

>I'm thinking of reading Summertime shortlisted for the booker prize last year it is another that is going under my "New Prizes" category.
It will be my first Coetzee.

I'm also beginning One Good Turn.

Making a start on the 2nd book in the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, The Well of Ascension. It's for my only category that I hadn't yet started. Depending on how this one goes I'll probably jump straight into book 3.

167> I am also starting The Well of Ascension as I just finished Mistborn. We will see if I move onto the 3rd one right away after that or not. I have a feeling I might need a breather between 2 and 3.

Took a break from my challenge to read the second of a fantasy series, Harp of the Winds,which was a fast-paced, fun escape, then read and reviewed Never Look Away for my Early Reviewer obligation. Bleghh.

Now back to the challenge. reading West with the Wind by Beryl Markham which is wonderful so far.

Started Galileo's Dream. Galileo goes to Jupiter. Still working on Kepler. A book that caught my eye while surfing the interwebs today. This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. Lie-berry porn! Might have to get it.

Read the first part of Anna Karenina last night for the group read. Haven't decided what to start tonight.

I've started Crime and Punishment and Stiff by Mary Roach. I am not disappointed by either!

Am 1/4 through Rewilding the World, 2/3 done with Zorro, done listening to Part 1 (of 5) sections of Alexander Hamilton, and am about 100 pages into The middle ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650-1815, which is fascinating but a bit dense.

Not a big surprise at all that I am reading a mystery, but I am loving A Beautiful Blue Death.

Still reading How to Cook Everything. I really want that book! And I'm listening to Dance Hall of the Dead. Just a few pages into the first Wheel of Time book.

Started reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.
Also reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Started on The Zookeepers War by Steve Conte.
As with most of my books this could go into a number of categories
Nominees - Australian Authors, Bookcrossing books, prizes (recent), new books- spontaneous reading and/or historical fiction.

I might put it into new books- spontaneous reading.
I was also tempted to place it into the prizes (recent) because it is a recent winner of the Prime Ministers literary award (Australia).

Finished Hello America by J. G. Ballard late last week and started into The Great Ship of Knowledge by William Bailey, a member giveaway. It is, shall we say, unique.

I'm still reading The Wrong Kind of Blood, but I just picked up a copy of Cleaving from the library and may have to start that one soon.

Finished The Zookeeper's War - I'd recommend it. Couldn't put it down.
Now I'm going to try another Australian novel Addition, looks like a quick read and I'd like to finish one more book, at least before the end of the month.

I'll pop it into my Australian novels category. Like all books so far it could go into a number of categories.
Australian Authors, Bookcrossing books, or prizes (recent).

For my challenges this month I read:
The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig,
The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden,
Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West,
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde,
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak,
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery,
Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy,
Light in August by William Faulkner, and am reading:
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander,
Anna Karinina by Leo Tolstoy,
World Without End by Ken Follett,
Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land by the "dreaded" Herman Melville,
In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy to finish out the Author Theme of the month.
As you can see, I am a bit behind and it has been rather difficult to find myself coming and going this month. I am still awaiting The Histories by Herodotus so I can begin that committment.
Good reads to all.
belva

For my challenge this month I have just finished Eat, Pray, Love - a story I am a little hesitant to review due to the nature of the text, I have the last story of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to finish tonight and am just about to start Fried Green Tomatoes. I am also reading Why is Snot Green just because it was the first book that came up in the library search engine when I typed in Green (for my Green theme).

Reading By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah, about a sixty-five year-old man from Zanzibar who has sought asylum in Britain.

I just finished Cleaving and have returned to Life in the Air Ocean by Sylvia Foley.

I'm STILL reading The Brightest Star in the Sky (can't get going in this one), and am also reading Botchan by Natsume Soseki.

Just finished The Great Ship of Knowledge by William Bailey and am starting Wayward Girls and Wicked Women a collection of stories edited by Angela Carter.

Finished and reviewed Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Great and horrific; 5 stars.

http://www.librarything.com/review/55562896

Startin Anathem by Neal Stephenson.

Gave up on The Eye of the World, finished Dance Hall of the Dead (good, but predictable), and started David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism.

188. Great review KAzevedo, I gave it a thumbs up! My wife got that book, but I may have to steal it from her at some point!

Well I finished The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo last month (I feel I missed the point) and I am just about to finish the bizarre The People of Abyss by Jack London.