November 2009 Reading

1. Soulless – Gail Carriger
   Paranormal; eBook; 7/10
2. Christmas Angel for the Billionaire – Liz Fielding
   Category Romance; eBook; 8/10
3. Blaze of Memory – Nalini Singh
   Psy/Changeling, Book 7; Paranormal Romance; eBook; 9/10
4. Bones to Ashes – Kathy Reichs
   Temperance Brennan, Book 10; Mystery; eBook; 7/10
5. Daughter of the Forest – Juliet Marillier
   Sevenwaters, Book 1; Fantasy; Library Book; 9/10
6. Nightlife – Rob Thurman
   Cal Leandros, Book 1; Urban Fantasy; eBook; 9/10
7. Barrayar – Lois McMaster Bujold
   Vorkosigan, Book 2; SF; eBook; Reread; 10/10
8. The Warrior’s Apprentice – Lois McMaster Bujold
   Vorkosigan, Book 3; SF; eBook; Reread; 9/10
9. Leviathan – Scott Westerfield
   YA; Library Book; 8/10
10. Kindred in Death – J. D. Robb
    Eve Dallas, Book 35; Mystery; Library Book; 8/10

Best book of the month = Daughter of the Forest 
Biggest disappointment of the month = Soulless

November Reading:
Books read this month =  10
DNFs this month = 0
10/10 reads this month = 1
New reads this month = 8
Rereads this month = 2
paper books : eBooks = 3 :7 = 30% : 70%

November Challenges Progress:
100+ Reading Challenge = 10
Support Your Local Library Challenge = 3 (Stage 1 Completed 3-04-09)
Romance Reading Challenge = 2 (Challenge Completed 25-02-09)
YA Reading Challenge = 1
eBook Reading Challenge = 7 (Challenge Completed 24-02-09)

November Non-Challenges Progress:
SF/Fantasy books read = 7
Audiobooks listened to = 0

2010 Flashback Challenge

After my health and consequently my reading imploded this year, I swore I wasn’t going to join any challenges for 2010. But…

The fact is I’m weak and tempted by shiny ideas. Aarti’s Flashback challenge is just too good to pass up. All the same, I have learned one lesson from this year and that is that realistically I have to consider challenges to be guidelines rather that hard and fast demands. If I do the latter, I stress myself to the point of taking all the fun out of it – not to mention making myself sick.

The Flashback Challenge will run from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010. If you're super-excited and want to reread a book before that, feel free, and let me know. If many people do so, then I'll do a December challenge linky post and you can all link to it here. Otherwise, we can hold them over to January.

You can sign up for the following levels:
Bookworm - Up to three books
Scholar - Four to six books
Literati - Over six books

Within these levels, we have mini-challenges! These are:

1. Re-read a favorite book from your childhood
2. Re-read a book assigned to you in high school
3. Re-read a book you loved as an adult

Thus, if you sign up for the Bookworm level, you could ostensibly choose to read one book from each mini-challenge. Or you could choose to do none of the above (though, granted, not sure what you could have possibly read that does not fit into either childhood, high school or adulthood).

Also, would just like to make clear that this isn't specifically limited to books you loved reading previously and want to reread. It could also be a book you don't remember enjoying. Or just don't remember reading. It might be interesting to see how your perceptions may have changed.

Rather than picking a level, I’m going to sign up for the challenge in general and just see how far I get.

I always have a long list of books I wish I had the time to reread, but I never seem to manage to do it. So here come two very long lists and one very short one (I can barely remember what I read at high school and the ones I can remember I don’t wish to reread). Obviously I won’t be reading all of these, but it’s fun to have a long list of old favourites to choose from.

Potential Rereads from Childhood (up to the end of high school)

1. Wraiths of Time – Andre Norton
2. The 101 Dalmations – Dodie Smith
3. The Starlight Barking – Dodie Smith
4. The Changeling Sea – Patricia A. McKillip
5. The Riddle-Master of Hed – Patricia A. McKillip
6. Children of Morrow – H. M. Hoover
7. Children of the Dust – Louise Lawrence
8. The Chrysalids – John Wyndham
9. Trouble with Lichen – John Wyndham
10. Beauty – Robin McKinley
11. The Blue Sword – Robin McKinley
12. The Hero and the Crown – Robin McKinley
13. Magic Flutes – Eva Ibbotson
14. Restoree – Anne McCaffrey
15. The Blue Castle – L. M. Montgomery
16. Barrayar - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in November)
17. The Warriors Apprentice - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in November)
18. The Vor Game - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in November)
19. Cetaganda - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in December)
20. Ethan of Athos - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in December)
21. Brothers in Arms - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in December)
22. Mirror Dance - Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in January)
23. A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle (reread in January)
24. A Wind in the Door – Madeleine L’Engle (reread in February)
25. A Swiftly Tilting Planet – Madeleine L’Engle (reread in March)
26. Many Waters – Madeleine L’Engle
27. An Acceptable Time – Madeleine L’Engle
28. The Ring of Allaire – Susan Dexter
29. Can I Get There by Candlelight – Jean Slaughter Doty
30. The People Collection – Zenna Henderson
31. A Walk Out of the World – Ruth Nichols
32. The Outlaws of Sherwood – Robin McKinley
33. The Thirteen Problems – Agatha Christie
34. Jaran – Kate Elliott
35. The Gate of Ivory – Doris Egan
36. The Outcast – Louise Cooper
37. Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls – Jane Lindskold
38. Last Act – Jane Aiken Hodge
39. Fool’s Run – Patricia A. McKillip
40. Tea with the Black Dragon – R. A. MacAvoy
41. Shapechangers – Jennifer Roberson
42. Daddy-Long-Legs - Jean Webster

Potential Rereads from High School (assigned books)

1. Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier
2. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

Potential Rereads from Adulthood (after high school)

1. Primary Inversion – Catherine Asaro
2. Daughter of the Blood – Anne Bishop (reread in December)
3. Heir to the Shadows – Anne Bishop (reread in December)
4. Queen of the Darkness – Anne Bishop (reread in December)
5. Dreams Made Flesh - Anne Bishop
6. Moon Called – Patricia Briggs
7. Memory – Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in March)
8. Komarr – Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in March)
9. A Civil Campaign – Lois McMaster Bujold (reread in April)
10. Diplomatic Immunity – Lois McMaster Bujold
11. The Compass Rose – Gail Dayton (reread in January)
12. The Barbed Rose - Gail Dayton (reread in January)
13. Agent of Change – Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
14. Slave to Sensation – Nalini Singh
15. Alien Taste – Wen Spencer
16. Endless Blue – Wen Spencer
17. Persuasion – Jane Austen
18. Changer – Jane Lindskold
19. Lord of the Fading Lands – C. L. Wilson
20. New Moon – Midori Snyder
21. The Heavenly Horse form the Outermost West – Mary Stanton
22. Firebird – Kathy Tyers
23. Stone of Farewell – Tad Williams
24. The Summer Tree – Guy Gavriel Kay
25. The Last Dancer – Daniel Keys Moran
26. The Mirror of Her Dreams – Stephen Donaldson

Those lists are subject to my vague memory of when I read things, but they are probably not wildly inaccurate. Obviously I read a lot more when I was in high school (and some of those titles in the first list may have been read when I was at university; I can’t exactly remember and I’m much too lazy to check copyright dates). Or perhaps, it’s just longer ago and more reason I want to reread them. Or that all that “childhood” reading was done before I developed CFS. Anyway, it’s an interesting history of my reading life and I hope I manage to reread some of them.

ETA: I have set up my list for this challenge and you can find it here.
ETA: List updated 26-3-10

Weekly Geeks: Book Podcasts

Wow, it’s a long time since I did a Weekly Geeks post – or much of anything at all on the blog really. But this was a topic that I felt I could make a useful post about, so here I am.

Dewey worded it this way, "find and review a link to a book podcast." I'm modifying this just a bit and am asking you to share with us a podcast you love, preferably book related, but not necessarily so. Give us the link, of course, and share with us details about that podcast and why you enjoy it so much. If you have a couple or three favorites, share them all!

I’ve skimmed around the blogs that have responded and neither of my favourite book podcasts have shown up, so I’m going to share them here.

• Dragon Page: Cover to Cover
  Your hosts, Mike and Mike, cover fantasy and science fiction, with author (and occasionally publisher) interviews, book reviews, commentary, feedback and a library section. Both are very into ebooks and developing technologies, so those are often discussed which, personally, I find fascinating. I don’t always agree with them, but they’re always interesting to listen to.
• Adventures in Sci Fi Publishing
  As the title suggests, another SF podcast, although fantasy is equally covered. Your host, Sean, has recently moved and taken on a new job, so episodes are currently sporadic, but always worth the time it takes to listen.

I also listen to a bunch of other podcasts that are not book related and two good ones are Astronomy Cast, which is excellent and Cadmium2 where three friends discuss British Cult TV and Film (with a particular focus on classic Doctor Who) amidst a fair bit of banter and laughing. These two are very different, the first fairly formal and the second definitely not, but both are very enjoyable.

So cute

I just think this is really cute. I love the turtle. Marcus has a soft toy turtle (although his is pink) so I may be biased. I am not, however, bored. I just love the picture.

Reading posts for October

It’s taken me several hours, but I have finally got all my reading posts for the year sorted out and up to date. I was trying to reuse the layout of an earlier month in Live Writer when I updated and I’ve finally worked out that doing it that way meant I actually overwrote the earlier post. I now know that I need to start a new post and copy and paste instead.

Then I had where my reading challenge lists and my monthly lists didn’t match up. Now they do. I realise this doesn’t bother anyone on the entire planet except me, but since this is my blog, I needed to get it all fixed.

So finally, here’s my measly reading stats for October.

October 2009 Reading

1. Harrowing the Dragon – Patricia A. McKillip
   Fantasy; eBook; 7/10
2. To Ride Hell’s Chasm – Janny Wurts
   Fantasy; Library Book; 6/10
3. Harmony’s Way – Lora Leigh
   Breeds, Book 8; Erotic Romance; eBook; 7/10
4. The Changeover – Margaret Mahy
   YA; Paranormal; Library Book; DNF
5. Angels’ Judgement in Must Love Hellhounds – Charlaine Harris et al. 
   Guild Hunters, Book 1.5; Urban Fantasy; 8/10

Best book of the month = Harrowing the Dragon
Biggest disappointment of the month = To Ride Hell’s Chasm

October Reading:
Books read this month = 4
DNFs this month = 1
10/10 reads this month = 0
New reads this month = 4
Rereads this month = 0
paper books : eBooks = 2 : 2 = 50% : 50%

October Challenges Progress:
100+ Reading Challenge = 3
Support Your Local Library Challenge = 1 (Stage 1 Completed 3-04-09)
Romance Reading Challenge = 1 (Challenge Completed 25-02-09)
YA Reading Challenge = 0
eBook Reading Challenge = 2 (Challenge Completed 24-02-09)
Patricia A. McKillip Reading Challenge = 1 (Challenge Completed 5-10-09)

October Non-Challenges Progress:
SF/Fantasy books read = 4
Audiobooks listened to = 0

Cumulative Totals – October 2009

2009 Reading:
Books read for 2009 = 81
DNFs for 2009 = 10
10/10 for 2009 = 9
New reads for 2009 = 67
Rereads for 2009 = 8
paper books : eBooks = 39 : 36 = 52% : 48%

2009 Challenges Progress:
100+ Reading Challenge = 76
Support Your Local Library Challenge = 21 (Stage 1 Completed 3-04-09)
Romance Reading Challenge = 17 (Challenge Completed 25-02-09)
YA Reading Challenge = 8
eBook Reading Challenge = 35 (Challenge Completed 24-02-09)

2009 Non-Challenges Progress:
SF/Fantasy books read = 49
Audiobooks listened to = 6

Completed 2009 Challenges
Once Upon a Time III Challenge = 7 (Books Component Completed 22-04-09; Challenge Ended 20-6-09 with A Midsummer Night’s Dream unwatched. Result = Failed, but only just)
Patricia A. McKillip Reading Challenge = 3 (Challenge Completed 5-10-09)

September 2009 Reading

Okay, after messing up posting the August reading list, can I get September right? Maybe if I wait until November to post it.

1. Memory and Dream – Charles de Lint
   Newford, Book 5; Urban Fantasy; eBook; 8/10
2. Does Anything Eat Wasps – New Scientist
   Non-Fiction; Library Book; 8/10
3. Seeing Eye in Strange Brew – Patricia Briggs et al
   Paranormal Romance; Library Book; 8/10
4. Silent on the Moor – Deanna Raybourn
   Lady Julia Grey, Book 3; Mystery; Library Book; 7/10
5. Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze – New Scientist
   Non-Fiction; Library Book; 7/10
6. The Shadow Queen – Anne Bishop
   Black Jewels, Book 7; Fantasy; 10/10
7. The Long Run – Daniel Keys Moran
   The Continuing Time, Book 2; SF; eBook; 7/10
8. Hunting Ground – Patricia Briggs
   Alpha and Omega, Book 2; Urban Fantasy; 8/10
9. To Say Nothing of the Dog – Connie Willis
   SF; 7/10
10. The Little White Horse – Elizabeth Goudge
    Children; Audiobook; Reread; DNF
11. The Mummy Case – Elizabeth Peters
    Amelia Peabody, Book 3; Mystery; eBook; 7/10

Best book of the month = The Shadow Queen 
(love this series, love this book, love the world and love the characters)
Worst book of the month = 
(nothing bad enough to call “worst”)
Biggest disappointment of the month = The Long Run or To Say Nothing of the Dog
(both were still good reads, but expected to like them more than I did)

September Reading:
Books read this month = 10
DNFs this month = 1
10/10 reads this month = 1
New reads this month = 10
Rereads this month = 0
% paper books : % eBooks = 70 : 30

May Challenges Progress:
100+ Reading Challenge = 9
Support Your Local Library Challenge = 3 (Stage 1 Completed 3-04-09)
Romance Reading Challenge = 0 (Challenge Completed 25-02-09)
YA Reading Challenge = 0
eBook Reading Challenge = 3 (Challenge Completed 24-02-09)
Patricia A. McKillip Reading Challenge = 0

May Non-Challenges Progress:
SF/Fantasy books read = 6
Audiobooks listened to = 0