2011 100+ Reading Challenge: April

Well, wouldn't you know it, another month is done!

I didn't get as much reading done as I had hoped, but oh well.  The year is still young!

22-26.  Apothecarius Argentum vols 3-8 by Tomomi Yamashita.  The good news: this series is awesome!  I loved it!  I couldn't put it down.  The bad news:  The English translated series stopped at part of volume 9.  Apparently, DC Comics decided to drop the branch that was responsible for translating the series into English for American readers  before volume 9 was released.  And of course, that would be precisely when the sh*t hits the fan in the series and you're left waiting to find out what happens.  So this means that if I ever want to finish the series, I need to brush up on my Japanese or wait a long time for fans to try and translate it themselves.  [sigh]  But it was good nonetheless!

27.  She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem.  This was a very interesting book and a fast read.  In a nutshell, it's Alice in Wonderland in a university physics department and that summary probably doesn't do the story justice.  It was sent to me by a coworker in CT and when I started reading the first few pages, I was like, WTF?!  But I couldn't put it down.  So I kept reading and before you know it, it was 4 am and I had finished the book in about 7 hours.  I say give it a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised!

28.  Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning.  FINALLY finished the series.  And it was totally worth the wait!  It answered all of my questions, had a great ending, and left me on the edge of my seat the entire time. 

So that's my list for this month!  I wish I'd read more, but May is another month!

Happy reading,
Kelly

2011 100+ Reading Challenge: March

Below is the summary of books I read in February for the 2011 100+ Reading Challenge at Overstuffed Bookshelf.  I didn't read too many since I had a lot going on this month, but every little bit counts!

19 - 20.  Apothecarius Argentum vols 1 & 2 by Tomomi Yamashita.  I would classify this as historical fantasy shojo manga.  Fun series about a reluctant princess who reencounters a childhood friend and the complications that arise, due to the fact that this friend was once her food taster.  He's hot, all grown up, and works as an apothecary.  The catch?  He was trained since birth to swallow poison and as a result, his skin is poisoned.  I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series!


21.  The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman.  Remember the Golden Compass?  Yeah, same author, same provocative take on religion.  The style was kinda similar to reading the Bible, but a little more fleshed out and gives a different perspective on the Gospels.  Regardless of your religious views, I think this is a fascinating commentary on how stories get started and it was very well written.  It definitely provokes the reader to ask questions and dig deeper into the story.

So there you have it!  Hopefully I will have a much longer list of books for review next month.  I have a bunch of non-fiction books I started but haven't finished; those always take FOREVER for me since I don't tend to get into them as much as fiction.  What can I say?  I like to lose myself in fictional settings!

Happy Reading,
Kelly

2011 100+ Reading Challenge: February

 
Below is the summary of books I read in February for the 2011 100+ Reading Challenge at Overstuffed Bookshelf.


13.  Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning - paranormal thriller and romance.  Apparently the author typically writes romances and this is considerably darker fare for her.  It was action packed, quick paced, and downright morbidly funny.  The story is about a Barbie-esque gal of 22 who goes to Ireland to avenge her sister's death and what she finds is a whole world of things she thought were fictional.  Definitely an interesting must-read if you like Twilight or the Sookie Stackhouse series!

14. Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning.  The second book in the series mentioned in #13.  Couldn't put it down!

15. Faefever by Karen Marie Moning.  The third book in the series mentioned in #13.  Couldn't put it down!

16. Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning.  The fourth book in the series mentioned in #13.  Couldn't put it down!!!!  And dangit, I have to wait awhile before i I can get my hands on Book 5.  Waaaahhh!

17.  The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas.  This was a super fast read since it's young adult/kid fiction.  This was also a great read!  I love her use of imagery in the novel and the world she's created. It's simple, accessible, and yet it excites the imagination.   It's about a thieving gutterboy who ends up as the apprentice to a wizard after he steals the wizard's most prized magical tool.  His talents pique the curiosity of the wizard and he goes on to save the city he lives in.


So that's my list!  It's a bit shorter than last month, but that's because I ended up going on a reading strike for a bit.  I'm currently reading The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and one of the weeks in the program asks you to not read for a week.  OMG, I thought I would DIE.  I never really fully deprived myself (um, does blogging count?), but I at least tried to not read any other novels or books to accomplish part of the process.  But now that's over and March is here, mwahaha!


Look out library, here I come!


Cheers,
Kelly

2011 100+ Reading Challenge: January

Here is the summary of books I've read in the month of January for the 2011 100+ Reading Challenge from Overstuffed Bookshelf!  I've tried to give some info about the book, especially about genre, etc.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask!  All of these books are available on Amazon or elsewhere.

1-6. Fruits Basket vols. 18-23 by Natsuki Takaya - shojo manga series, this counts as six entries since it's six different books!  Great series featuring a supernatural element, teenage romance, etc.

7. Bloodroot by Amy Greene - contemporary fiction, bestseller, about families and their dynamics, has a little bit of supernatural elements in it, features the Appalachian region of the US.  I give this one 5 stars!

8. Onegai, Teacher vol. 1 by Yosuke Kuroda - shojo manga series about a teenage boy who finds himself in strange circumstances when he discovers that his new teacher is an alien!  A bit silly, but fun nonetheless.  I have yet to read anymore of the series, but I really enjoyed the first volume.

9-12. Protector of the Small series, by Tamora Pierce - young adult series with fantasy elements.  Tamora Pierce is my all time favorite author, and I'd started this series years ago but never finished.  Great story about a young woman who wants to become a knight and the struggles she endures on that road.  This series builds on a previous one, the Song of the Lioness series, but you don't need to read those to enjoy this one!  Perfect for the tween in your life.

So that's my January recap!  I'm already onto some other things and will be sure to share those at the end of February!

Happy reading,
Kelly

2011 100+ Reading Challenge

I love reading.  I am voracious about it.  There's a rule in our house that I'm not allowed to read fictional books until the weekend, because otherwise, I'll stay up all night to read them.  I read pretty fast, too.  I finished the last Harry Potter book in under 8 hours and 15 minutes (that's including potty and snack breaks).  So I am beyond stoked to participate in a reading challenge for this year!  Reading 100 books is going to be easy for me, so I've decided to step it up a notch by choosing to read books in other genres.  This ties in nicely with my resolution this year to really challenge myself as a writer.  I'm not sure yet how I'm going to list my books, but I'll start with a sidebar that lists the books I've read and then do a monthly post that includes a summary overview of everything I've read.  If you like to read, feel free to join too!

Hosted by Overstuffed Bookshelf

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Posting on GoodReads or wherever you post your reviews is good enough.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.  What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2011. Books started before the 1st do not count. You can join at anytime.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky at the Overstuffed Bookshelf, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

Happy reading!
Kelly