Another strong week for reading! I finally finished The Algebraist and I’m only one book away from meeting my annual reading goal of 36 books.

Here’s what I’ve been up to in my book life this week…

Inbox (books acquired)

• Reluctantly Royal (Suddenly Royal book #3) by Nichole Chase (kindle) — I picked this up on a whim… I had some Amazon credits for opting to ship things the slow way, so I decided to get myself a little book candy. This is the third (and last) book of the “Royals” series that started with Suddenly Royal. I read the first two and debated skipping the third, but I read the sample chapter and decided I’d give it a chance. (More on this below…)
• To Ride Pegasus (The Talents Saga book #1) by Anne McCaffrey (kindle) — I’ve been wanting to re-read this one for a while now. I think this may have been the first “young adult” science fiction book that I read as a teen. It was my introduction to Anne McCaffrey and kicked off the Talents series. I went on to devour the remaining books in this series in short order and eventually moved on to several of her other series. I’ve been keeping an eye out and I’ve noticed that the publishers are slowly making her books available on Kindle. I don’t think this entire series is available yet, but the first three books are, as are some of the Rowen series that also take place in this world. I probably won’t read this right away, but I am looking forward to revisiting the start of one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors.

Outbox (books finished)

• Reluctantly Royal (Suddenly Royal book #3) by Nichole Chase (kindle) — Book three in this series, like the first two, is an easy-reading, hot and steamy, contemporary, if slightly fantastical, romance. Like the others, it is light on plot and the story is mostly driven by the will-they / won’t-they physical attraction of the two main characters. Except you pretty much know they will. It’s just a matter of when, or how many times. Ahem. Anyway… I liked this one better than the second book, but not as much as the first book. I like the story, plot, and characters in the first book best. The male lead in this one was a little too possessive for my tastes (I got a lot of Twilight series vibes…), and the over-use of the noun “fist” as an adjective to describe the action of grabbing someone’s shirt or hair, etc., I found to be distracting and a little off-putting. But, if you’re looking for a steamy romance and have already read the first two, grab this one, or just read the first book, skip the second, and then read this one.
• Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty by Christine Heppermann (hardcover) — I really wanted to like this little book of poetry. I liked the concept (flipping around fairy-tale ideals to empower modern young women), but I’m pretty far removed from my teenage angst and I’m not really a poetry person. Even when I was a teen, I was never one of those young girls who wrote poetry. I don’t read poetry. The only poetry I’ve found that I really like is in the lyrics of some singer / song-writers. So, I’m clearly not the target audience for this book. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I just couldn’t really get into it. I think maybe it’s great for some young girl out there, maybe many young girls, girls who are struggling with body image or eating disorders or relationships and the ideals of love and friendship. But too many of the poems seemed to be saying the same thing, and saying it in a way that just didn’t resonate with me. It just wasn’t for me. So I’m going to pass it on.
• The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks (library hardcover) — This epic space opera was my first introduction to Iain M. Banks. It was also an epic slow read for me, mostly because there are a lot of made up names for worlds and characters and futuristic space traveling activities that you need to sort out and remember. But, all that imaginative fake science was worth it. The book addressed several meaty concepts and themes through tight world-building. One surprising highlight of this book was the well-written, funny, realistic, and engaging conversation between the characters. Not something you usually get in a classic space opera. Another surprising highlight was the almost two page character rant on meeting culture. I guess even in the space traveling distant future, some things never change. You may have some difficulty finding a copy of this book (I had to rely on my trusty library), but if you’re a space opera enthusiast, I recommend you pick this one up.

Queue (what I’m reading next)

• I haven’t decided yet… but I’ll probably read The Giver next… bu, it’s a pretty short book, so I’m sure I’ll have time for something else…
• I may also read the next book in the Crystal Singer series… Killashandra…
• Or… one of the many books I purchased earlier this year and are sitting in my virtual TBR pile on my Kindle…

Since I am only one book away from my 2014 reading goal, and since some of the books I read this year were quite short, and since I still have a stack of books I’d like to get through before the end of this year, I’m going to see if I can achieve a stretch goal of 40 books read in 2014. That’s only five more books. I can do that easy, right?

This was a good week for books. I got some promising new stuff, and I finished two novels, both of which made me want to hug my Kindle when I finished them. Read on to find out more…

Inbox (books acquired)

• All My Puny Sorrows (signed hardcover) by Miriam Toews — I received this book because I subscribe to Powell’s Indiespensible and this was the most recent selection. I read the summary and it sounded like a somewhat depressing book. But, then I read the interview with the author and now I’m thinking I might give it a go. Mental illness and suicide kind of freak me out a bit. When I was younger I would avoid things that freaked me out. But I’ve come to believe that it’s this fear of things we don’t understand, while completely natural, is ultimately unhealthy and prevents us from experiencing all the awesomeness that life has to offer and from treating others with empathy and kindness. So, now I confront these things head on.
• Parable of the Sower (kindle) by Octavia E. Butler — In an effort to “put my money where my mouth is,” I’m creating a reading project for myself for 2015: reading books by diverse authors, or that feature diverse main characters. I’ll talk more about this new project in a separate blog post (or video) as we get closer to the end of the year. I bought this book because I’ve had it on my list since I saw it on a top five sci-fi book list by author Robin Sloan (Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hr Bookstore). It sounded amazing. It’s sci-fi by a female, African-American author, so it qualifies for my project. I am *very* excited to read this book.
• Astonish Me (kindle) by Maggie Shipstead — This one had been on my list for a while. It’s a literary fiction novel set in the world of ballet dancers. I started it almost immediately. More on this below…

Outbox (books finished)

• This Night So Dark (kindle) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner — I just discovered and purchased this novella last week. There’s also a preview of the sequel to These Broken Stars at the end of this novella. I pretty much devoured this delicious little morsel of story, but I really want the next book. I’ve had This Shattered World on pre-order since May. It’s already been released in some countries, but it doesn’t come out in the US until the end of December 23rd. I expect I’ll have it finished before Christmas.
• Ready Player One (kindle) by Ernest Cline — I’ve been holding off reading this because of the hype. The premise sounded so cool. So many people whose book opinions I respect gave it great reviews. I was worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype and I’d be disappointed. I needn’t have worried. I *loved* this book. It might end up as my favorite book of 2014. The 80s pop culture references are great, but what I appreciated most was that the author took a few non-standard narrative turns that ended up giving the book more meaning than you’d expect from some 80s gaming culture nostalgia book. If you’ve had this on your list and haven’t read it yet, read this next. You won’t be disappointed.
• Astonish Me (kindle) by Maggie Shipstead — Ballet dancers and dance culture are fascinating to me, partly because I used to dance, but mostly because I appreciate the discipline, athleticism, and commitment necessary to succeed in this world. I love getting glimpses into this world that I would never have been talented enough to enter. But, beyond that, the story is so tightly wound and so intricately woven. It’s not told in a straightforward linear progression, which adds to the suspense and drama. The ending is perfect. I could not put it down. When I finished it, I kind of want to start over at the beginning and re-read it.

Queue (what I’m reading next)

• I still need to finish The Algebraist … it’s due on the 10th, and I don’t think I can renew it again…

I need to read about four more books this year in order to hit my annual goal of reading 36 books per year. With Christmas vacation coming up, I don’t think that will be a problem. Of course, all this reading means that little writing is getting done, but I’m okay with that for December. Just like November is a great month for writing (for me), December is always a great reading month for me. There is something about the holidays and the cooler weather that always makes me want to curl up with a book.

One bonus I’ve noticed since I started writing this post each week is that knowing I am going to have to report out on my “outbox” encourages me to actually finish whatever I’m reading. On the other hand, one downside is that it’s definitely highlighting the number of books that I buy. I knew I’d gotten into the habit of buying a lot of books this year, but this is ridiculous. So, if anyone out there is considering what to buy me for Christmas…, may I recommend an Amazon (or Powells) gift card?

Inbox (books acquired)

• A Court of Thorns and Roses (Kindle) by Sarah J. Maas — This one doesn’t come out until May, but I pre-ordered it. This is the start of a new series by the author of the Throne of Glass series that I’ve been enjoying. Because of that series, she has become one of my “auto-buy” authors. I can’t wait to see what she does with this new world she’s created!
• The Martian (Kindle) by Andy Weir — This comes highly recommended from several sources. So, when I saw the price drop to $3 on Kindle, I jumped on it. Like my other ebooks purchased when I see them on sale, I probably won’t get to this one for a while.
• This Night So Dark (Kindle) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner — This is a novella set in the same world as These Broken Stars and is meant to bridge to their new release (which I pre-ordered months ago), This Shattered World, which comes out at the end of December. I’ve been enjoying their YA Sci-Fi, and I like that they have kicked the “series” trend and decided to just create a bunch of loosely connected novels all set in the same world. I am so looking forward to the next book, hopefully this holds me over until then.

Outbox (books finished)

• Grave Mercy (Kindle) by Robin LaFevers — I first heard of this one on the Book Nut blog when she reviewed it over two years ago. So, it’s been on my radar for a while. This is the first in a trilogy of books, each set in this same world but featuring different main characters. Each book features a different assassin, who tells the story from their perspective based on their role in the unfolding drama. It works because it’s historical fiction that sticks close to the key points and characters in history, while adding in the invented concept of a convent dedicated to training the “daughters of Death” (one of the nine “old gods”) to become assassins charged with carrying out the will of their god, Death, in service to the duchess of Brittany. As far as a premise goes, this sounded really great. I grabbed this when it went on sale and dove in, expecting awesomeness. Unfortunately, I immediately got hung up on a technicality. The author chose to write this in the first person, present tense POV. That is my least favorite way of telling or reading a story. This choice of narration continued to annoy me for the entire tale. I mostly enjoyed the story, but I didn’t really bond with the main character (the one telling the story) because her unquestioning acceptance of authority was a little too frustrating for someone with my personality. I’m trying to decide if I want to continue the series. The other two main characters (her “sister” assassins, both introduced in this book) sound slightly more interesting. But if the other two books (book 3 was just released) are also written in first person, present tense POV then I don’t think I want to. For now I’m just going to put the next one on my watch list and wait for an ebook sale and a deep discount. But, if the premise sounds good to you, and you don’t think you’ll be bothered by the narration, it is a good story. I got sucked in quickly and spent precious writing time reading this instead because I wanted to know what would happen (even if I did figure out who the “bad guy” was very early on in the story).

Queue (what I’m reading next)

• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Kindle) — I picked up this one two weeks ago. Now I have about a week to finish this before book club on Friday.
• I still haven’t finished The Algebraist yet, either…

Now that NaNoWriMo is almost over, I should have a little more time to read. Which is a good thing, because I need to finish another seven books in order to hit my reading goal for this year.

I could tell you about the books I’ve been reading, but you might be disappointed. August hasn’t been a strong reading month for me. I’ve added a lot of books to my “to read” list and I’ve been dreaming of curling up with a pile of books and hiding out for days, but for some reason I’ve just not been able to get started on anything. Even my book club books. Which makes me sad.

I’ve been thinking a lot about why I haven’t been able to get into any of my new books, and I finally realized, I was craving a real, tangible, paper book to read. Not my Kindle (for once). Almost every book I’ve read this year has been on Kindle.

I think it all started when I was in Portland… I made a visit to my book-mecca, Powell’s, and I think that hardcore book feeling hit me. Suddenly, reading on my Kindle just wasn’t enough. I needed the real thing.

(Cue U2’s Even Better Than the Real Thing…)

Ironically, I didn’t buy any books at Powell’s when I visited. I got a great t-shirt, and several stickers, and a Kleen Kanteen pint glass… your basic tourist stuff. I did buy a few books for my niece and nephew, but not for me. But I made up for it when I came home. And now I’m so excited about my purchase that I can hardly handle the anticipation…

I FINALLY SUBSCRIBED TO INDIESPENSIBLE!

Yep. Little magical book bundle boxes arriving on my doorstep nearly once a month. And the first of these will be David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks. I Can. Not. Wait.

So, don’t mind me while I spend the next week or so eagerly checking my mail for my very first book package from Powell’s. Maybe I’ll make an unboxing video when it gets here. You know you want to see that.

I’m only slightly sad that I missed last month’s shipment that featured The Great Glass Sea. But, it’s okay. I’ll just add that to my hold list at the library. Luckily, we have a really good library, and I’ve already put six books on hold to keep me going while I’m on this real-deal book kick.

Books. They come in all shapes and sizes and I love them all.

This weekend I started re-reading one of my favorite childhood books.

I remembered this as the book that made me want to become a marine biologist, which is the first “what do you want to do when you grow up?” job that I remember having… besides those irresponsible, starving-artist things like “dancer” and/or “writer” that made my parents cringe and tensely explain about “back-up plans” for when those “careers” inevitably didn’t work out… This was also the book that first put the idea of swimming with dolphins into my head where it took firm hold and has never let go. Needless to say, I did not become a marine biologist (even though I didn’t change my mind on this until just before deciding on which college to attend). I also have yet to swim with dolphins. But I will.

The other thing I’m realizing while re-reading this book is that, unlike some formative childhood books that you re-read and realize they weren’t as good as you remember them, this one is still good. Actually, it’s not just good, I think it blows away nearly all modern YA I’ve read. I know. Bold statement. But here’s why: the book is written in a way that doesn’t simplify everything into black and white, good and bad, employing simplistic vocabulary with high drama and romance along the way. The text isn’t “dumbed down” for young adults. The vocabulary is rich, the writing is descriptive, the world is complex and modern (it’s not fantasy / sci fi / dystopian), and even though the main character gets confused and conflicted because of a pretty girl, it’s no more than your standard teenage boy hormones and not some dramatic love-triangle nonsense. The “strong female” character around which the story revolves, is not even in a “lead” role. She is a highly intelligent pre-teen who is wiser than her years, yet still vulnerable, open, and honest in a way that makes her more realistically “sassy” and “spunky” than all those modern YA heroines combined.

In short, this is the kind of book that makes me nostalgic for the time before social media and cell phones and ubiquitous technology… you know, before the “dumbing down” of society where everything has to fit in a short attention span sound bite and be categorized into “is this a good thing, or a bad thing?” buckets for people who’ve forgotten, or never learned, how to think for themselves.

It’s also the kind of book that makes me think that everything I’ve ever written is complete crap and I’ll never be this good a writer.

So, what is this amazing book? You’ve probably never heard of it before. It’s not one of the “classics” that make it onto reading lists. The author has more well known books, books that are definitely on those lists. But out of all those books, the book at the top of my “formative books” list? The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L’Engle.

If you’ve never heard of it, and you like YA, marine biology, anything else by Ms. L’Engle, and/or dolphins, you should check it out. You will not be disappointed.

My July reading recap might as well also be considered the vacation reading recap. I read three books on my vacation, which is all I managed to read in all of July.

Which three books of the ten that I brought with me did I end up reading? The answer is, one from almost each of the categories of books I brought with me.

One actual paper book: The Diamond Age: or, A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer by Neil Stephenson

One of the science fiction novels: Restoree by Anne McCaffrey

One of the mystery fiction series located in the Adirondacks: To Darkness and to Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming

And, as predicted, none of the non-fiction books.

I wish I’d had more time for reading, but I was just having too much fun playing with kids, swimming in the lake, and hanging out with friends.