It's Monday: What are you reading?

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from Book Journey.

I'm currently reading:

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. My fellow-librarian-friend has been bugging me to read this book for months and I'm finally getting it done. I'm about a third of the way through it and it's really good so far. Unlike most zombie movies, this book looks at what zombies used to be - people - and the notion of dignity in death, despite the fact that they're dangerous and no longer sentient beings.

What I recently finished:

Croaked by Gina Damico (4 out of 5 stars) - see my full review below.

Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry (2 out of 5 stars) - see my full review below.

Ouran High School Host Club (Manga series books 1-18) by Bisco Hatori (5 out of 5 stars) - see my full review below.

What I'll read next:

I was recently contacted by Laurianne Uy to read and review her manga/graphic novel Polterguys. It has a sort of Ouran feel to it - according to Laur - so I'm excited to give it a shot!

It's Monday: What are you reading?

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from Book Journey.

I recently finished the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel, Deadlocked, and loved it! But then again, I'm completely hooked on this world and I probably would have loved it no matter what. I recently heard a rumor that Charlaine will be finishing up the series with the next installment. Kudos to her for not dragging the series on for.e.ver, but I'm still heartbroken by the fact that it may be concluding. Man I hope Sookie gets a nice "happily ever after" - one that's pretty boring...that poor girl could use some boring.

I also finished the YA book, The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman. This was a really cool ancient-relic-mystery-adventure type of story. Basically, there are some teens that read latin who help out a professor with some transcriptions. He's obsessed with this unbreakable code (that part is actually real - the code, not the professor's obsession), which after 400 years of nobody being able to crack it (also true), our heroine discovers the way to break it. Death and mayhem ensue, mostly in Prague. The story has a definite Da Vinci Code feel to it - the mysterious relic has religious implications, and the religious tone may or may not turn off readers. Still, the book was fascinating and I'd definitely recommend it.

See my full reviews for these titles in previous posts.

What I'm reading now: I'm currently trying to get through another YA novel, The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry. It's slow going; I haven't been able to get into the story, and there are several things about it that bug me. I'm determined to finish it, but I'm sure (unless it totally turns around at this point) this book won't be a favorite. I'm pretty sure the cover art and title will be superior to the actual story, which is a shame.

What I'm going to read: Oh good heavens, I have no idea. So many books, so little time! And whatever I type here I'll mysteriously not be in the mood for when it comes time to pick up something new, so I won't even bother.

It's Monday: What are you Reading?

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from Book Journey.

I just finished reading two very different books. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee. Yes, I know, everyone but me has read The Hunger Games, and I'm a teen librarian. I should be ashamed of myself. But I've read it and I even managed to review it. You can find full reviews for both of these books in the posts below.

I'm currently reading (and have been for a while) Intertwined by Gena Showalter. I've been working on this title for a month or so, putting it down to read other books, then picking it back up again. I'll finish it eventually!

On my to-read list are The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson and Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. Though I really think I need something light and happy after reading The Hunger Games...

It's Monday: What are you reading? (20)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from Book Journey.

I recently finished listening to two audio books, Chime and The Throne of Fire. See the posts below for my full review.

Currently Reading:
Cast in Ruin, by Michelle Sagara West
City of Ember (audio book), by Jeanne DuPrau

To Read:
Oh, who knows... :)

It's Monday: What are you reading? (19)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from Book Journey.

It's apparently YA week for me! I love reading YA and that's all I've been focusing on recently.

I Read:

I just finished a great old-school YA novel titled Sorcery and Cecelia: Or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot. It was a great read and a lot of fun. See my full review in the post below.

I'm Reading (or rather, listening):
The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles #2), by Rick Riordan
I listened to the first audio book in this series a few months ago and absolutely loved the story and the readers. At the beginning of the book the narrator tells us that the paper copy of the book was based off of audio transcripts from our two main characters, so if you're listening to the audio book it's as though you're listening to the "real" recordings. The readers are awesome and the chapters switch between the male and female lead. I loved the first audio book, and I'm loving the 2nd, though I'm only on disc 4 of 11 or 12.

To Read:
Next on the reading list is Hunger Games. I know, as a YA reader and a librarian who would love to work with teens, I should have read this long ago. However, I'm not a fan of dystopian novels. Everyone I know who has read it has loved it, so I'm going to give it a try. I feel it's my responsibility to do so.

It's Monday: What are you reading (18)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

I haven't been reading as much as I usually do. I go through these phases where I'm reading four books at a time and as soon as I finish one I'm right back into a new one and I'm insatiable. Then at other times, generally after one of these phases, I just can't be bothered to read a line. Don't know why. Just happens. So it's been a while since I did any hard-core reading, but I managed to do a bit recently!

What I Read:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (*****)
Lovely book with lovelier illustrations. See my full review in the previous post.

Currently Reading:

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma 
This book looks fascinating and I can't wait to dig into it! It almost sounds a little Eyre Affair-y and I am in love with that series.


From Goodreads: Set in Victorian London with characters real and imagined, The Map of Time is a page-turner that boasts a triple play of intertwined plots in which a skeptical H.G. Wells is called upon to investigage purported incidents of time travel and to save lives and literary classics, including Dracula and The Time Machine, from being wiped from existence. What happens if we change history?

To Read:

Honestly, who knows. My intentions generally go out the window depending on what's due back at the library first, what becomes newly available from the library, and what I've splurged on at the bookstore. I'm thinking The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer or Working Stiff by Rachel Caine may be next. Though I just got Withering Tights by Louise Rennison at the Border's going-out-of-business sale, and I do adore her Georgia Nicholson series...this one may cut in line! 

It's Monday: What are you reading? (17)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

I read two YA books:

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2), Ally Carter (*****) See my review in the post below.
Delirium, Lauren Oliver (*****)
I only give this two stars because I don't like dystopian stories. I haven't since I was forced to read Brave New World and 1984. It's for this reason that I haven't read The Hunger Games. So read and enjoy; I just couldn't.
[Side Note for my Librarian Readers: despite the fact that I didn't enjoy this book, I do think it lends itself to a great book talk.] 

 I am reading: 
Devil's Cub, Georgette Heyer
The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick










I will be reading:

My Optimistic Book Club is reading Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper. This is such a fun/funny series. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good laugh and a light read. And as soon as I pick them up from the library, I'll be reading Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia Wrede (which I decided I must read totally based on the title alone) and Working Stiff by Rachel Caine (I loved her Weather Warden series, so I'm looking forward to giving this one a shot).

 

It's Monday! What are you Reading (16)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

I read:
I've finished a few books since I last posted here, most recently:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
Magic Slays, by Ilona Andrews
The Girl in the Steel Corset, by Kady Cross
(click on the links for my full reviews!)

But what I've really been working on are book and media lists! Check 'em out in the posts below and let me know what you think in the comments section - and tell me if I'm missing anything, too!

I'm reading:
Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2), by Ally Carter
Delirium, by Lauren Oliver

I'm reading Delirium for a book group and Uncommon Criminals because I love Ally Carter!







To be read:

My "to be read" pile is always the longest. I am sad to say that I didn't read one of my book club books because it didn't arrive from the library on time (oh the shame!), so I'm still planning on reading The Devil's Cub, by Georgette Heyer, plus another of her titles, The Black Moth.

I recently saw a preview for the new movie, Hugo, which looks amazing. Turns out it was based on a book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, which also looks amazing.

It's Monday: What are you reading? (15)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

Finished this week:

A Girl's Guide to Vampires by Katie MacAlister (*****)
I just couldn't like this book, though I tried. See my full review here.

Currently Reading:

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
I'm only a quarter of the way through this book, but I already love it. Plucky heroine faces off against brooding hero. Humor ensues. I do love a plucky heroine...

Dear Fatty by Dawn French
This lovely book is a memoire written in the form of letters to brilliant comedienne Dawn French's loved ones. Fatty, in this instance, refers to the other half of French's British comedy duo, French and Saunders' Jennifer Saunders (you may know her best from AbFab). As for Ms. French, I adored her in the comedy show The Vicar of Dibley. You want to laugh? Check out that DVD; you can find it at Netflix (disc only, not streaming) or possibly at your local library (that's where I found it).

To be read:
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
I've read this a few times already and love it; I'll be reading it again for a book group.

The Trouble with Harry by Katie MacAlister
Another book group pick (a different one this time - I'm a member of three). Hopefully I'll like this one better than the above Vampires.

It's Monday: What are you reading (15)?

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

Oh so many books have been read since last I posted way back in January. I am happy to announce that I actually managed to finish Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in time for my book group discussion. It was a most excellent book, but it is a beast - pick it up only if you have time to devote to it. I've also completed another book club book, Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins. This book wasn't my cup of tea; I enjoyed the prose (Mr. Robbins has a way with words), but I couldn't get into the story (a princess in name only falls for a bomber in the last quarter of the 20th century). Annnddd, I also read all 10 of the Sookie Stackhouse books. The ice-pocalypse kept me from the library for a bit, so I took the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite book series and it was just as good the 2nd time around!

Currently Reading:
Pack of Lies by Laura Anne Gilman, the 2nd book in the Paranormal Scene Investigation series. Gilman also authored the Retrievers series, an awesome urban fantasy series from which the PSI series is a continuation.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This is our current book group selection and the response to this selection has been overwhelmingly positive. I've been meaning to read this book for a while now and I'm excited to read it for our book group.

To be read:
The books currently sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read include:
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Insatiable by Meg Cabot
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (14)

It's Monday: What are you Reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

That noise - that banging sound you may hear? That would be my head against the wall. I cannot get this book finished! It has nothing to do with the style or content - it's an excellent book and I've really enjoyed reading it. But it's sooooo loooonnnngggggg!!!! I have to have it finished by Friday, and I'm not sure I can do it. Which is really bad, since I'm leading the book group that's reading it...

So, I'm still reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. If you'd like more information about it, please see my last two It's Monday posts, as well as my last two Teaser Tuesday posts. Maybe someday I'll be able to post about a different book.

Bang.  Bang.  Bang.

It's Monday: What are you reading? (13)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

I am still reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Alas, I'm supposed to have this finished in about a week and a half and I'm having the worst time getting it finished, not because it's bad (on the contrary, I'm quite enjoying it), but because I've been too busy. And now classes are starting back up and I'll have even less time. I'm thinking I'll have to set aside a power-read session and see if I can put a dent in the remaining 700 pages (yeah, and I've already read 300).

For more info on this book, please see my post from last week.

It's Monday, what are you reading? (12)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

I have been reading and will be reading for some time to come:

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
by Susanna Clarke

From Goodreads:
"It's 1808 and that Corsican upstart Napoleon is battering the English army and navy. Enter Mr. Norrell, a fusty but ambitious scholar from the Yorkshire countryside and the first practical magician in hundreds of years. What better way to demonstrate his revival of British magic than to change the course of the Napoleonic wars? Susanna Clarke's ingenious first novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, has the cleverness and lightness of touch of the Harry Potter series, but is less a fairy tale of good versus evil than a fantastic comedy of manners, complete with elaborate false footnotes, occasional period spellings, and a dense, lively mythology teeming beneath the narrative. Mr. Norrell moves to London to establish his influence in government circles, devising such powerful illusions as an 11-day blockade of French ports by English ships fabricated from rainwater. But however skillful his magic, his vanity provides an Achilles heel, and the differing ambitions of his more glamorous apprentice, Jonathan Strange, threaten to topple all that Mr. Norrell has achieved. A sparkling debut from Susanna Clarke--and it's not all fairy dust. --Regina Marler"


I'm reading this book for my super-awesome book group. And it's big, a real beast of a book, one I have to have read by January 21st. Here's hopin'! But so far, so good...

It's Monday! What are you reading? (11)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

Long time, no blog! I took a little time off from reading and blogging during and after vacation, mainly to give my brain some time off since school starts this week. My trip was awesome, and if I have time, what with all the homework, I'll try to post some pictures.

Until then, here's what I've been reading:

I finished:
Cast in Chaos (Chronicles of Elantra, #6), by Michelle Sagara West
I love this series and this book doesn't disappoint. I love the characters and the way the Elantran world shifts and expands with each new book. Sagara-West has created an amazing world, and Kaylin is one of my favorite characters.

I'm reading:
Nothing! But give me a day or two for this change.

To be read:
For the next several months, I'll be blogging on mostly children's and YA books for my Materials for Youth class (can you say, "awesome"?!?).