Spring Reading Resolutions 2019

March has come roaring in and Spring is around the corner (probably) and all the resolutions made on January 1 have fallen by the wayside.   A few months of hunkering down against the cold and dark have given me ample time to reflect on my 2018 reading year, what worked and what didn't.  Now the evenings are getting lighter and the clocks are moving forward this weekend and I am ready to set new bookish goals.

Goal 1

READ THE BOOKS I ALREADY OWN

I am not great at this because it is easy to put off the books I own and the library has so many that I don't own.   I also added to the ebook collection thanks to BookBub bargains and Amazon Prime First Reads free books and reading for book clubs.

Goal 2

READATHONS INSTEAD OF SEASONAL CHALLENGES

The seasonal challenges require too much of a commitment to a TBR list.  For Readathons, even reading one book is participation and I will still get those seasonal reading vibes.

Goal 3 

READ MORE INDY AUTHORS

I am currently reading a book by an Indy author that I found on Booktube and have plans to read the work of two more.   The local used book store has a table to showcase local Indy authors and I picked up several promising selections in January so I would like to make that regular feature.

Goal 4

BOOK BOX REDUX

Last January I signed up for the quarterly book books from Page Habit.  I didn't get my first box until June and then I never go another and by September they were out of business.  I am very sorry because the books they provided were annotated by the authors which is very special unique feature that no other book box offers.  After researching more book boxes,  I have signed up with Illumincrate, a quarterly subscription box from the UK and I have already received the first box.  Stay tuned for my review of the contents.

2018 Wrap Up

56 turns out to be roughly 4 1/2 books per month.

The shortest book was a poignant graphic novel about the immigrant experience.

The longest book is the 3rd book in a fantasy series and since I am reading it on my Kindle I didn't really have a sense of how long it is.  There are other books I read that felt much longer.

Wherever I meet a new person I should ask if they have read The Hobbit - the odds should be quite good and then we will have something to talk about.

Not many people have read Strangeville and sadly I can't recommend it.

One of my resolutions was to be more honest with my ratings and I did hand out a few more 1-2 star ratings for books that I truly did not enjoy.

Golden Son is a sequel to Red Rising and it took me two tries to read, one in physical and finally on audio.  It was so hard for me to get into but not because it wasn't good.  I knew it would wreck me.

2018 started strong with a much anticipated sequel to Every Heart a Door

I had a lot of books on the go in December that I didn't finish before 2018 expired.

My 2018 resolutions were to read more of my kindle books and finish a couple of series were totally ignored.   I did complete some books that had been on the go for a long time and were also on my kindle:  Elantris, Out of the Shoebox, Magic for Beginners. Strangeville, Gifts of the Blood and I am up to 39% on Anna Karenina and I decided to abandon Bellefleur.

Re-reads on Audio:  Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits, The Hobbit

Favorite Book:  Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits

Least Favorite:  Annihilation

Best Surprise:  A Reaper At the Gates, News of the World

Slightly Spooky Reads

October is here and the early morning chill gives a definite autumnal vibe and that can only mean one thing.  Halloween is coming!  Get ready for some cozy reading.  Candy corn, apple slices with caramel dip, popcorn and apple cider are the perfect snacks.  Turn out the lights except the reading lamp and grab a light throw.  This is the perfect time for some darker reading, the kind of stories that will make you jump when the house creaks.  Uh-oh, make sure your feet are well tucked up under the blanket.  Ok, I actually just creeped myself out a little there.  I don't really do 'horror so here is my slightly spooky TBR.

I am starting light with this 1972 book by Ray Bradbury that is considered YA although it was written well before YA was a thing.  I found it when I was searching through a GoodReads list of books labeled by readers as "spooky'.  The title and blurb drew my attention and when I read a comment that this story may have been the influence behind Jack Skellington in Nightmare Before Christmas I was sold.  It should be ok, right?  Sure it's Ray Bradbury (who terrified me with episodes of the Twilight Zone) but it's YA how scary can it be?  Right?

I found this one in the same search.  The title terrifies me but I love Holly Black's writing (Coldest Girl in ColdTown, The White Cat) so I am willing to read anything by her.  Plus, this is middle grade so how scary can it be.  Right?  

I intended to read this one last October but didn't get to it and here we are a year later and Book 9 The Grave's a Fine and Private Place is already out and Book 10 The Golden Tresses of the Dead is coming in January so I need to get on with it.  Flavia is a precocious 12 year old with a penchant for the macabre, an interest in chemistry (especially poison) and a flair for solving mysteries.  Simply perfect for autumn reading.

Karen White writes books with a flavor as southern as pecan pie and she is no stranger to southern gothic.  I expect good characters, lots of atmosphere and an absorbing mystery from this one.

I almost read this one last December when my science fiction book club was asked to read books by latino authors.  This vampire novel was intriguing but I decided to go with Summer of Mariposas instead because vampires didn't feel very Christmas-y.  Later this year this book popped up on a YouTube video by Adam Cesare (a horror author) Best Vampire Books You Haven't Read  which he ranked as number 2 in his top 5.  He said it was 'incredible' and he gave a lot of great reasons which have nothing to do the horror genre and everything to do with good writing and the unique world building,  I am intrigued.

This is the third book of The Diviner's series.  The setting is 1920's NYC and a group of 'gift' young adults are literally fighting the forces of evil to save the world as they know it.  What sets this series apart is the atmosphere which is deliciously spooky. This I will be listening to the audio book which I have heard is amazing.

This one will also complete a series, and while not necessarily spooky, there magic, pirates, romance, and a battle against evil forces, not to mention beautifully rich prose.  I am finally getting to this one thanks to A Darker Shade of Readalongs hosted by Common Spence on Youtube and the ACOL live discussion will take place on 10/27 so I can put off reading this one until almost the end of the month.

What will you be reading this month?

Goodbye Summer Reads

Autumn officially began on Saturday and so it is time to put away the light hearted books of summer to make way for meatier tales best told in the waning of the year.   So here I am to wrap up my Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge.  Of the 16 books I placed on my TBR list, I completed a grand total of seven and I am actually pretty happy with that.

The ratings tell the story.  The best book by far was A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (so so so good) , followed by Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire.  These both will easily make my top 10 for the year.  

The worst book was hands down Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer which had so little plot it shouldn't have been a book much less the first in a series.

A note about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; I read it just to say that I had and to be in the know on cultural references to it.  It isn't a bad boo,  my rating not withstanding.  If you like Monty Python (and I do not) then I think you will like this book.  It is humorous and I get the humor but it just doesn't make me laugh out loud the way Terry Prachett does for instance.

A note about A Walk in the Woods, I did enjoy it and it was funny and informative but I was so disappointed when I found out <SPOILER ALERT> that they did NOT complete the entire trail that I almost quit reading and it colored my perception of the whole rest of the book even though I agree with the conclusion that the effort they put into it does count.

The only book on my list that I am sorry I didn't get to is The Lake House by Kate Morton because she has a new one coming out in October.

Good Reads Summer Reading Challenge 2018

June is half over but it isn't too late to dip into fun summer reads, you know, those books that you enjoy the most at the beach, by the pool or from a chair on the deck with a glass of iced tea.   Go here Summer Reading Challenge Blog Post to download a free pdf copy of the complete challenge guide.

My Challenges

INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN:  Read a book that takes place in the great wide open.  (Loose interpretation, outdoors is close enough for me.)

TIME OF OUR LIVES:  Read a book in which the characters go on an adventure.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD:  Read a book about the end of the world as we know it.

DEAR PEN PAL:  Read a book that features letter or journal entries.

CAMPFIRE STORY:  Read a scary or creepy book * description has been amended slightly by me because I know I won't read any book that is too scary.  However this book is highly recommended for horror beginners by Adam Cesare, a horror author and You Tuber Recommended video

OCEAN BLUE:  Read a story that takes place on the water.  (Another loose interpretation, beside water is close enough.)

GET YOUR GRILL ON:  A book that features summer recipes or outdoor summer activities.  (This is a real stretch but the synopsis mentioned baking.)

THE COLORS OF SUMMER:  Read a book that features a yellow, green or sandy cover.

SAND BETWEEN MY TOES:  Read a book that takes place in or around a beach/ocean.

FUNNY BONE: Read a humorous book.

SUN, MOON AND STARS:  Read a book that takes place in outer space.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY:  Read a book that features a road trip.  (A loose interpretation of 'road'.)

ONE AND DONE:  Read a book that you can finish in one day.  (Graphic novel for the win!)

READ THE WORLD:  Read a book that takes place in a country or focuses on a culture other than your own.  (Morocco)

HOOK'EM:  Read a book that features fishing or fishermen.  (Not even close but about marine life is close enough for me!)

POET AT HEART:  Read a book of poetry.

BEACH BUM:  Read a book that could be considered a beach read.  (Chic Lit for the win!)

ALL of the chosen books come from my GoodReads TBR list and/or are books I already own in physical or kindle format.  They may also fit into a few other side challenges but I will figure that out after I read them.  My main focus is on the SEASON so bring on the heat!  With a good book, sunglasses and a cold drink, it will be just like vacation.

Page Habit - Book Box Subscription

Welcome to my first book box subscription unboxing.
Given how much I love the Home Chef cooking box and I have been getting Kitnip boxes for 3 years, why has it taken so long for me to sign up for a bookish book?  Probably because I tend to only buy books from authors that I already know and always love.  I tend to try new authors via the library or lucky cheap finds at book sales and used book stores.

Why I chose Page Habit Quarterly:  The monthly book selection is annotated by the author to provide a unique and deeper reading experience.  Exclusive to the quarterly box, the author also selects two of his/her favorite or inspiration books.  Several bookish goodies complete the package and Page Habit makes a donation to support world literacy.

Quarterly boxes are available for the following genres:  Literary Fiction, Young Adult and Cookbook.    The monthly boxes also offer Mystery, Historical Fiction,  Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Romance.  I chose Young Adult for my first quarterly box because I figured the odds were higher that I would get something I liked.  Literary Fiction is just too wide open and it is the genre I read least.

 I had lots of help from the kitties.  They are purrfessional unboxers having so much experience with Kitnip boxes.  They were a bit disappointed with the lack of catnip but still had a good time.

 This donation this quarter will go to Kenya and the card provides literacy statistics about the country.

 Book mark with a bookish quotation.  The print echoes the print on the Kenya card which is just as like to be used as a bookmark by me too.

 Faux wood stacking tin.  Not sure yet what I will use it for - tea bags, office supplies, earrings?

 SKY IN THE DEEP by Adrienne Young is YA Fantasy and the Page Habit synopsis describes it as "part Wonder Woman, part Viking".  Good Reads shows a solid 4 star rating and Amazon 4 1/2.  

 The annotations are on sticky notes so they can easily be moved/removed.  I am excited to read this with the author's insights.

 This is the first extra book selected by the author and it definitely grabs my attention.  I love the cover and it sounds like a great adventure in a fantasy world where reading is unheard of.  A young girl sets out on a fantastic adventure to rescue her kidnapped aunt with only this strange rectangular relic to guide her. Oh yeah, and there are pirates!

 This is the second author selected book and how I know I chose the right genre for me and I am going to love the other books.  I already know and love  I Capture The Castle and the copy I own is the movie version paper back cover.  Guess what?  That one is going to a book sale because I much prefer hardback and I love this cover!

 Cute bookish pin

 Sword Pen - LOVE it

 Always handy bookish tote bag

 Naked SKY IN THE DEEP (no dust jacket)

Last but not least, the letter from the author.