my books. my life.

Good morning! How is everyone today?

I am having a rough weekend back/neck/head-wise but it has forced me to actually get some reading done. I finished both Matched by Ally Condie and The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown yesterday. And today, I am starting the book that at least 7000 of you told me to read after my Top Ten Tuesday post: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Now, as for February. I read:

1. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
2. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde (audio)(reread)
3. The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
4. Great House by Nicole Krauss
5. First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde (audio)(reread)
6. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
7. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Favorite: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares
Least Favorite: Great House

What was your favorite February read?

January Books Read:

1. Betsy was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace
2. My Man Jeeves by PG Wodehouse
3. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
4. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (audio) (reread)
5. A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear by Atiq Rahimi
6. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
7. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde (audio)(reread)
8. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde (audio)(reread)

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Books Read: November 2010

• Betsy in Spite of Herself by Maud Hart Lovelace
• A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (audio)
• Zombies vs Unicorns by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
• Enough About Love by Herve Le Tellier

Well, November was a rather unsuccessful month all around. I only read 4 books, I barely managed to post anything, and I really can’t figure out what I did instead (I vaguely remember spending a lot of time in bed with my heating pad and a fair amount of sobbing in the car). But that’s ok. It’s a new month. And it’s December. And pretty soon we all get a fresh slate.

And the books that I did manage to read were all pretty good. So at least there’s that.

Please leave a comment telling me how awesome your month was so I can live vicariously, ok?

Books Read: 9

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling (audio)(reread)
• Up from the Blue by Susan Henderson
• Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
• Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (audio)(reread)
• Room by Emma Donaghue
• The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst (audio)
• Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Favorite: Up from the Blue
Least Favorite: Linger (this was a tough choice – I enjoyed everything this month).

Not a bad month for reading after all. Not a great month for reviewing everything, but now you have something to look forward to. See. I do it all for you.

In related news, I just overtook Ben in number of books read for the year. I think it was 2005 the last time I won our annual “race” so I’m super psyched to take the lead this late in the year. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

How was your October? What was your favorite book?

September ended up being a much better reading month than I anticipated. I felt like I had so much going on this month that I barely had any time to read. Yet I somehow managed to finish 7 books. Since October is looking mighty busy as well, I’m hoping for same magic this month.

This month I read:

• Ape House by Sara Gruen
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (audio)(reread)
• Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross
• Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling (audio)(reread)
• Radiance by Alyson Noel
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Favorite: Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross
Least Favorite: Ape House by Sara Gruen

Expect reviews for Mother Night and Radiance very soon and a Harry Potter post when I finish the series on audio.

How was your September? What was your favorite read?

Books Completed in August:

1. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
2. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (audio)
3. Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky
4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (audio) (reread)
5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (audio) (reread)
6. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (audio) (reread)
8. The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion by LJ Smith
9. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Look at that. I almost reviewed everything (ignoring Harry Potter which I will do as one big audio post).

Favorite: My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Least Favorite: The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion by LJ Smith

I think 9 books might be a new record for me (although if I’d noticed I was so close , I certainly would have tried for double digits). Part of this accomplishment is due to some easy, quick reads (let’s face it, that’s not really an impressive list) but a lot of it has to do with the 4 audiobooks I read. I’ve been flying through the Harry Potter books faster than other audios partly because I simply love Harry Potter and partly because I am finally maximizing my audio time. I’m not just listening in the car anymore. I’m listening when I get ready in the morning, when I’m cooking and cleaning, and when I have a headache and it’s the only thing I can bear to do. You can argue all you want that listening is not the same thing as reading, but I’m finishing MORE BOOKS, people. And that’s something.

Think I can hit 10 in September?

So, how was your reading month? What was your favorite book?

Remember when I said I would read a ton of books this summer while Ben was away at school? Well, that didn’t quite happen. Somehow, I ended up being busier on my own than I am when he’s here. I went out of town twice, I saw many of my friends, I got the all clear from PT and took up yoga and dance again, and I read ONE more book in July than I usually do. But, I had a fantastic summer and I wouldn’t change a thing, Even for more reading.

So here they are, my the seven books I finished in July (sorry, no fancy collage today – my computer is being held hostage by the Geek Squad for a few weeks and I’m doing everything from web uploads). Perhaps I will review them someday (for the two I did manage to review, click on the hyperlinked title to read)

1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (audio)

2. The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

3. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

4. Finny by Justin Kramon

5. The Vampire Diaries: The Fury by LJ Smith

6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (audio)

7. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Quick note: I am taking everyone’s advice and not forcing myself to read this week.  Instead I will watch massive amounts of guilt-free television. I think I will spend today going through the 1000+ posts in my reader to see if any of you can send me some inspiration as well.

On to real business. June ended up being a normal reading month for me despite my late-month reading funk. My biggest accomplishment was FINALLY finishing East of Eden. At the halfway mark of 2010, I am on pace to read 72 books this year which far exceeds any other year.   So here they are, my June books:

• The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin
• Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson (audio)
• America, America by Ethan Cain
• The Everlasting Now by Sara Harrell Banks

Other reviews will hopefully be coming soon. Happy July!

I’m a little in denial that it is already May, but I guess I can’t do anything about the passing of time. April was a pretty decent reading month for me. I got a little behind on reviews though, so expect to hear about some of these books this month.

Books Read:

• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (review)
• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• Blankets by Craig Thompson (review)
• Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma (review)
• A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
• The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees
• The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin (review)

Did everyone else have a good April?

Books I’m still in the middle of:

• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• You are Here by Christopher Potter

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March 2010:

• The Help by Kathryn Stockett (review coming soon)
• Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder (review)
• Everything Here is the Best Thing Ever by Justin Taylor (review)
• Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (review)
• The Writing on My Forehead by Nafisa Haji (review)
• Julie and Julia by Julie Powell (review)

6 books again this month – surprise, surprise.

Books I’m still in the middle of:

• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• You are Here by Christopher Potter

Goals:

My progress from my January goals.

• More adult lit than YA/MG? Yes (11:7)
• 20% classics? Kind of failing this one. Does Alice in Wonderland Count?
• 15% nonfiction/memoir? Close. 11% but I’m in the middle of a science book
• I haven’t read any of the specific authors I mentioned (Atwood, Allende, and Vonnegut)
• I haven’t read any of the specific books I mentioned (Uglies, The Art of Racing in the Rain, David Copperfield, Betsy-Tacy – last five books, The Age of Innocence).