May 2010 Reading

Yes, I acknowledge that this post is a month late. I do apologise for that. I have no excuse beyond the usual one: bad health and lack of energy.

It was an interesting reading month. One clear favourite came through in the shape of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine,  which was one of those books that I didn’t know why I hadn’t read, but I just hadn’t. I picked it up this month and was blown away by it. I returned my library copy, only to go online and order a copy for myself. I paid a little extra to get exactly the format and cover I wanted. (Deerskin currently remains on the TBR.)

The biggest surprise of the month was Deborah Blum’s book about the development of chemical forensics in New York in the 1920s. It was on the “look at this” display shelf at the library and I picked it up out of curiosity. As soon as I started reading I was hooked as she related the development of new chemical tests for poisons to cases of the time and the lives of two of the men most closely involved. I’m very glad I picked this one up.

I continue with my grand total of zero for audiobooks this year. I just can’t manage them as all I do is fall asleep and then can never find the place where I stopped following the story and started phasing out. I’ve been listening to podcasts instead, which are marginally better if only because they are shorter, meaning I can get one finished in a few nights.

1. Sunshine – Robin McKinley (389pp)
   Fantasy; Library Book; 10/10
2. Fledgling – Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (384pp)
   Liaden Universe, Book 11; SF; eBook; 8/10
3. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York – Deborah Blum (336pp)
   Non-Fiction; Library Book; 9/10
4. The Tender Leaves – Essie Summers (188pp)
   Romance; Reread; 8/10
5. Devil to Pay (in the anthology Four Dukes and a Devil) – Jeannine Frost (unknown)
   Night Huntress World; Paranormal Romance; Short Story; 7/10
6. Through Violet Eyes – Stephen Woodworth (368pp)
   Violets, Book 1; SF; Mystery; Reread; eBook; 7/10
7. With Red Hands – Stephen Woodworth (336pp)
   Violets, Book 2; SF; Mystery; eBook; 7/10

Best book of the month = Sunshine
Biggest disappointment of the month = none

May Reading:
Books read this month = 6
Short Stories read this month = 1
Total reads this month = 7

10/10 reads this month = 1
DNFs this month = 0
New reads this month = 4
Rereads this month = 2
paper books : eBooks = 3 : 3  = 50 % : 50 %

Pages read this month = 389 + 384 + 336 + 188 + 368 + 336 = 2001

May Challenges Progress: 
Flashback Reading Challenge = 2 
Big Book Challenge = 0
Once Upon a Time IV Challenge = 1

May List Progress: 
eBooks read = 3
SFF books read = 4
Library Books read = 2
Audiobooks listened to = 0