March 2012 Reading

I've got a lot of review books this month, so I thought it would be nice to have a centralized list to refer back to.  It will also let you know what to look for by way of reviews this month!

I'm currently finishing:

My March reading list:

Top 11 Non-2011 Releases Read in 2011

I promised more lists, so here's another one for your perusal.  This time, I am counting down the top 11 books released prior to 2011 that I had the pleasure of reading this year.  Once again, I'm going to go with the date I finished reading the book as a means of lining them up.  I can't choose an all-out favorite!

Top Eleven Non-2011 Release Books I Read in 2011

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Published on February 1, 2010
Finished reading it on March 24, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: A deliciously sinister adventure set in the world of the fey.

From Goodreads:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Published on August 1, 2009
Finished reading it on April 7, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words that describe it: After experiencing Maggie's take on werewolves, I'm ruined for all others.

From Goodreads:

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Published on August 31, 2010
Finished reading it on April 22, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: It's hard to beat magic and Shadowhunters vs. deadly clockwork androids.

From Goodreads:

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Published on October 1, 2008
Finished reading it on April 24, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: A dystopian fight for survival broadcast via reality television?  So chilling!

From Goodreads:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Published on April 6, 2010
Finished read it on May 2, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: Necromancers, werewolves, sorcerers, demons, genetic experimentation... this book has it all!

From Goodreads:

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.  

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Published on March 27, 2007
Finished reading it on May 5, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: With its infinite sarcasm and wit, this book packed a punch.

From Goodreads:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Published on October 1, 2008
Finished reading it on June 23, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: Probably the most strange and frightening faerie-centric novel I've ever read.

From Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass - a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky - and equally dangerous - dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
Published on June 7, 2010
Finished reading it on August 12, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: This isn't your mama's Little Red Riding Hood.  Scarlett March = intimidating!

From Goodreads:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Published on December 2, 2010
Finished reading it on August 18, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: An irresistibly sweet read that left me yearning to visit Paris.

From Goodreads:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Published on December 1, 2009
Finished reading it on September 24, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: A hint of southern Gothic centered around a hidden supernatural world.

From Goodreads:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien
Published on March 30, 2010
Finished reading it on November 11, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: An enthralling read that combines futuristic elements with Dark Age-like society.

From Goodreads:

In the Enclave, your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.

Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

STNC's Top 11 of 2011

The end of the year is upon us.  What a year it has been!  I don't know whether I feel as though it has gone too fast or whether it feels as if this past year has been drawn out.  So many wonderful things have come from this blog, including the discovery of new books that I may otherwise never have read.  That, along with meeting some great new people, has been the beauty of book blogging, for me.  It seemed only right that I should put together a retrospective post detailing my favorite reads of the year.  I won't, however, be ranking them.  It just can't be done.  Don't ask me to, please.  I loved all of these books, but I can't pick one over another.  Instead, they'll be listed in order from first to last read.

This will be the first of several posts leading up to New Year's day.  You can expect a post detailing my favorite non-2011 releases read, and a shout out to the awesome book bloggers that I've gotten to know over the past year.  I'm looking forward to looking back on all that has made this year so great.

Top Eleven 2011 Releases I Read in 2011

Die for Me by Amy Plum
Published on May 10, 2011
Finished reading it on May 18, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: Paris; romance; revenants; vivid descriptions; mysterious; intriguing; riveting; buzz-worthy; must-read; fantastic

From Goodreads:

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Published on June 1, 2011
Finished reading it on May 23, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: Victorian England; steampunk; awesome heroine; gritty; edge-of-your-seat fun

From Goodreads:

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Published on March 22, 2011
Finished reading it on July 5, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: poignant; beautifully written; engrossing; compelling; strength from hardship; emotional; moving; poetic

From Goodreads:

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously - and at great risk - documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Published on August 2, 2011
Finished reading it on July 11, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: nostalgic; mystical; mysterious; the danger of fear; entrancing; enchanting; beautiful writing

From Goodreads:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget. 

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Published on October 25, 2011
Finished reading it on July 22, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: harrowing; tenuous; emotionally charged; action-packed; suspenseful; emotionally gripping; touching; magical

From Goodreads:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Published on August 30, 2011
Finished reading it on September 3, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: creepy; horrifying; riveting; gripping; deliciously scary; fantastically descriptive; mysterious; thrilling; awesome

From Goodreads:

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . .

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Published on September 13, 2011
Finished reading it on September 19, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: magical; incredible; lovely; beautiful prose; complex; star-crossed lovers; magical circus

From Goodreads:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Published on October 18, 2011
Finished reading it on September 30, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: water horses; couldn't get enough; best thing Maggie Stiefvater has written

From Goodreads:

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton
Published on November 22, 2011
Finished reading on October 13, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: fun; enjoyable; great humor; action-packed; awesome characters; wonderful lore included

From Goodreads:

The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien
Published on November 8, 2011
Read it on November 11, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: thought-provoking; intriguing dystopian; lush yet dangerous landscape; fascinating; superb characters

From Goodreads:

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime.  In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Published on December 6, 2011
Finished reading it on December 11, 2011
My review: Click Me
Eleven words to describe it: witty; steampunk; Victorian England; intrigue; adventure; betrayal; discoveries; riveting; intense; moving

From Goodreads:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Bout of Books Read-a-thon

I have been looking for a read-a-thon that I can actually participate in for a while now. I have a 2 year old, so I don't have much opportunity to participate in the 2-3 day ones. This is a great one, as it takes place for an entire week! The Bout of Books Read-a-thon is hosted by Amanda at On a Book Bender and runs from August 22 to August 28. Want to participate? Then click HERE to enter your name in the provided form. Need more incentive? What if I were to tell you that there will be giveaways? Well, there will be GIVEAWAYS! What are you waiting for?

I will do my best to post my progress every day. The format will look something like this:

Book(s) reading today:
Total pages read today:

Total number of books I’ve read so far:
Today #insixwords:

Goal: Read 6 books

Books I Want to Finish

• Fury by Elizabeth Miles
  
• Envy by Gregg Olsen
• Hourglass by Myra McEntire
• Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
• Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
• The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Other Books I Want to Read If I Have the Chance

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Return to Exile by E.J. Patten
• The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
  

I will begin at midnight on the 22nd and will return this post to make my updates. For ease of reading, I'll update the date and time stamp to bump it to the top of my page. Hope to see you on the lists!

Daily Updates

Monday, 8/22

Book(s) reading today: Fury by Elizabeth Miles; Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Total pages read today: 502

Total number of books I’ve read so far: 1
Today #insixwords: Booking it through book number two!

Tuesday, 8/23

Book(s) reading today: Hourglass by Myra McEntire; Envy by Gregg Olsen
Total pages read today: 305

Total number of books I’ve read so far: 2
Today #insixwords: Loved Hourglass. Possibly cracked ribs suck.

Wednesday, 8/24

Book(s) reading today: Envy by Gregg Olsen; Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
Total pages read today: 329

Total number of books I’ve read so far: 3
Today #insixwords: ER. Reading. Tweeting. Sleeping. No pain!

Thursday, 8/25

Book(s) reading today: Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater; Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Total pages read today: 267

Total number of books I’ve read so far: 4
Today #insixwords: Feel like a slacker. Slow reading!

Friday, 8/26

Book(s) reading today: Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Total pages read today:

Total number of books I’ve read so far:
Today #insixwords:

Saturday, 8/27

Book(s) reading today:
Total pages read today:

Total number of books I’ve read so far:
Today #insixwords:

Sunday, 8/28

Book(s) reading today:
Total pages read today:

Total number of books I’ve read so far:
Today #insixwords:

June Wrap-Up

It's that time again! It's the end of the month, so it's time to look back upon all that has come to pass at Starting the Next Chapter for the month of June. STNC hit some new milestones this month. Not only did my blog turn 4 months old, but I also reached and surpassed 300 followers! Thanks, everyone! I've bought some good books, borrowed some good books from both the library and a friend, and received some wonderful ARCs from various publishers, all of which I am grateful for the opportunities of reading. I am behind on the writing of reviews thanks to my computer woes, but I did read and review some great books this month. I read 16 books and have reviewed 12 of them, so far. You can expect to see the remaining 4 reviews in addition to reviews for my July reads in the coming days and weeks.

I've had more of a variety of posts over the past month. Not only did I get to interview the fabulous Cara Lynn Shultz, I also wrote posts about a variety of topics, such as my friend's introduction to the book blogging world and responses to the more incendiary articles that have been published as of late. I hope to have more to offer on my blog in July as summer begins to wind its way down. I have two more months until classes resume and my reading load will have to be reduced in favor of doing well in my courses In case you're wondering, I'll be taking intermediate French (eep!), parliamentary procedure (a speech class), an English methods & research class, and a film studies class (important film performances).

I hope you all will join me during the month of July. Hopefully I will have some good stuff to offer or, at the very least, some teasers for what is to come in August. You definitely will not want to miss that!

A Close-Up of the YA Audience

Recently, Library Journal published an article entitled "Not Just for Teens: A 35 Going on 13 Special," written by Angelina Benedetti. The topic: the increasing number of adult readers turning to YA literature. In the aftermath of the inflammatory article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Benedetti's article was a well thought out breath of fresh air. Rather than questioning suitability, content, or motives, Benedetti focuses more on the appeal factor of YA books, as well as the importance of promoting them to a wider audience.

In the midst of the article is a list of possible reasons why adults are electing to read more YA novels. I really enjoyed this aspect of the article and was provided with food for thought in regard to my own tastes and why I like the books I've been reading so much. Among the reasons listed were:

• coming-of-age stories: they haven't lost their appeal!

• writing: YA draws attention through excellent writing and influential prizes

• "emotional immediacy": According to Benedetti, YA list is made to draw the reader in during the first 15 pages, whereas adult novels often take up to 50 pages to do so

• authors making crossovers: more and more authors are writing for both age groups

• "the Mom factor": Moms are reading what their teens are reading and gaining interest in their own right. I especially loved this section of the article. I thought it was an excellent reminder of the importance an rewards of reading with kids.

• Ebook reader demographics: Statistically, the majority of ereader users are adults. There has been an increase in YA ebook sales, so it stands to reason that this audience is made up of a sizeable chunk of adults. However, it is difficult to know for sure since there is not a definitive study to refer to that can pinpoint exactly how big this audience is.

Benedetti closes her article with an entreaty to both adult and youth service librarians to promote YA titles to both audiences. I found it refreshing that Ms. Benedetti was able to see the value of YA literature and avoided sensationalizing the topic. This article is simply a look at who is reading and why, which is definitely needed as of late. I found this to be a valuable article to read when considering my future career path, as I will be entering graduate school next fall. I am thrilled to know that people, no matter their ages, are reading, and I can only hope that the numbers continue to rise.

What do you think of the information set forth in the aforementioned article? Do you agree with the listed reasons? Do you have additional ideas? I'd love to hear them!

May Wrap-Up

We have reached the last day of May, so it's time for another state of the blog, so to speak. I've made a lot of progress this month. I'm starting to receive more reviewing opportunities, which is very exciting. I also reached (and surpassed) 200 followers and am on my way to 300. I have big plans for when I reach 500, so stay tuned! I received 3 ARCs and won 1 finished book from Goodreads, bought some awesome books on my own, and patronized my local library... a lot. While I didn't get reviews written for all of the books I read this month, I did manage to write a respectable 16 reviews out of the 20 books I read. All of the rest will be coming soon, maybe even starting this evening.

Everyday life, while maintaining a certain level of stress, is at least free from classes until August. My summer break started on May 4th, which was such a relief. I came out of classes with one A, one B, one C (it's a long story), and one W (that's for "withdrawal"). It's not my most stellar grade report ever, but it's a surviving one and means that my GPA didn't suffer, which is all that matters to me. Next up, I have GREs to prepare for and graduate schools to select and begin applying to. It's all a very daunting thought, as it's been several years since I last had to go through the applying for college routine. It's all enough to make my head reel! Plus, finding an ALA accredited library science program that just might give me a shot is leaving me feeling very nervous, indeed. I did, however, find out that my friend decided to go with information/library science, herself, and has confirmed with a school! It's very exciting and I can't wait to hear all about it.

It's been a great month, all in all. Thank you to both my new and old followers for making it so. I can't wait to see what June has in store for us all. Let the summer officially begin (just with less humidity, please? maybe?)!

Past, Present, or Future?

Thinking about the three general time periods available in literature, I realized that I don't seem to have one favorite, anymore. I used to read mostly books that took place in the past, but I have noticed that my tastes are changing quite drastically. Don't get me wrong, I still love a good book set in a time long ago, but I seem to have branched out quite a bit. Lately, I have been primarily reading two genres: urban fantasy and dystopian. All of my urban fantasies have had a present setting, while my dystopian reads are all in the distant future. I have also started reading a little steampunk, though I won't profess to knowing all there is to know about the subject. I've just enjoyed a couple of the books I have read that fit into the category.

As far as the urban fantasy and dystopian books, however, I have noticed a few specific things that appeal to me most. With urban fantasy, I enjoy the sense that even in the modern era, there are still fantastical things beneath the surface. There is still a sense of magic and mystery in a world filled with technology and cynicism. Dystopian books cater to a different interest. It is sort of a way to try out different ideas about what could happen with the world in the future if things continue as they are. It can be frightening, but often sheds a lot of light on the human condition.

Some of my favorite urban fantasies include:

• The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa
• The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
• Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

and some of my favorite dystopians are:

• Wither by Lauren DeStefano
• The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I have so many more of all three genres I've mentioned marked on my to-read list and I can not wait to dive into them all. Currently waiting for me on my shelf are:

• The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma
• Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
• Fallen by Lauren Kate
• Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Die for Me by Amy Plum
• Wondrous Strange & Darklight by Leslie Livingston
• Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
• Evernight by Claudia Gray
• Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Not to mention many others that fall outside those three categories. How about you? What are your favorites?

Thanks to Jenny @ New Books for New Bloggers for the prompt. It was a great question and a lot of fun to think about!

Coffee shops, tornado shelters, and Books-A-Million, oh, my!

It has been quite the day. My French class was cancelled unexpectedly, so I was able to go to my favorite coffee shop and read until my friend arrived to chat for a bit. I read the first fifty pages of Tyger Tyger while I enjoyed an iced mocha and a Black Sheep cupcake (dark chocolate cupcake with chocolate mousse filling and a dark chocolate ganache). I enjoyed the cupcake and I think I am really going to enjoy the book.

After lunch, I headed out to my second class of the day. It had been an overcast, windy day and it was about to get worse. As soon as I reached the doors to my building, the tornado sirens went off. Then, the building's alert system activated and I was stuck in the stifling, over-crowded basement for an hour and fifteen minutes. Needless to say, my second class was eventually let out early.

The second best part of the day was going to Books-A-Million with a dear friend of mine. We perused the YA and general fiction sections, as well as the clearance tables. I splurged and snagged several that have been on my to-buy list for weeks now. I got five in all, two of which I was thrilled to find on the clearance table. I'll save all of that for another day, though. I've got to have something to post for In My Mailbox on Sunday, after all!

March Wrap-Up

It's the last day of March, which concludes my first full month of book blogging. This past month has been a lot of fun for me and I've been introduced to many new (to me) blogs and bloggers. This month, I read nine books and reviewed seven. I also changed my blog's layout, established a Facebook page for it, started a Twitter account, and joined Networked Blogs. I received my first ARC from Goodreads First Reads and my first two review requests, one of which I accepted. Lastly, I participated in a lot of memes and started going to the local library again.

Academically, I have had some great news. I found out yesterday that I may be able to graduate in December. I had an appointment with my advisor at which we combed through my transfer transcripts and learned that I am very near the finish line. If I can find a way of completing my remaining two required French classes this summer, then I will be able to take the last of the courses I will need for my major this fall. Such news also means we will not have to move in August! This was a great source of relief for me, as I was worried about coming up with the deposit for a new apartment and the rental fee for a van. I still have to worry about taking the GRE or MAT this summer, picking graduate schools to apply to, and (possibly) taking the CLEP for French, but I'll take it!

Thank you to all of my visitors and followers. You all have made this first full month great for me. I'm really enjoying my blog, as well as reading all of yours. I'm looking forward to seeing what April will bring.

(Edited to add the book I finished and reviewed today.)

I'm Still Here Reading...

though not in the capacity I would like to be reading. I am taking a full course load this semester and am in the midst of a very difficult class. I am taking a history of the English language course that is putting me through the ringer. I am trying to make my way through The English Language: A Historical Introduction by Charles Barber, Joan C. Beal, and Philip A. Shaw. It is a very informative book and includes everything from phonetics to full-on history. It is, however, very dense and there is a lot of information to take in. I will say that I am still learning a lot from this class. I have picked up several of the IPA symbols (i.e. phonetic symbols), which I wouldn't have thought possible. Learning about why the English language is spoken the way it is today and where the different parts come from is also very interesting. I'm having to put more effort into reading this book than I'm used to, but I think it will be very much to my advantage by the time I'm finished.

Rest assured that I am still working on my recreational reading. I try to steal moments with my current book while I wait for classes to begin or for the bus to arrive. In the meantime, I will continue writing here in some capacity. I'm going to do my best to get ahead in this class so I can have more time for what I'm calling my "sanity reading." I'm nearing the finish line in both this class and my current program of study. I've got to keep going and to do that, I'm going to need to blow off steam through reading for pleasure.

It's Monday! What are you reading? March 14, 2011

It's Monday! What are you reading is a weekly meme that comes to us from Sheila at Book Journey. To participate, simply post what you finished reading in the past week and what you plan to read this week. It is a good way to find other books you may enjoy reading. After you write your post, head over to Sheila's blog to leave your post's link on the link entry form at the bottom of the What are you reading? post.

What I Finished

1. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters (counted toward The Sense and Sensibility Bicententary Challenge; the 2011 E-book Reading Challenge; and the Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge)
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (counted toward the Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge)

Next On My Reading List

1. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manner by Stephanie Barron (for the Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge 2011 and the Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge)
2. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (for The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge and the Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge)
3. Elinor & Marianne: A Sequel to Sense & Sensibility by Emma Tennant (for the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge and the Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge)

What are your reading plans this week?

My Sunday To-Do List: Reads I Need to Finish and Reads I Need to Begin

I have decided to set a few goals for myself this week. It is spring break week for me, so I hope to accomplish more than I would in a typical week reading-wise. I've already finished the first thing on my list, which was to finish modifying my blog. I'm finally satisfied with the way I have it set up, so I'll move on to the next items.

• finish Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
• finish Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• read Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manner
• read chapter 6 of The English Language: A Historical Introduction
• begin Sense and Sensibility

That makes for a pretty jam-packed week for me considering that I have a 2 year old to take care of and a trip back to my old university to make arrangements for my transfer back, but I think I can manage. In fact, I'll probably get started on one of the first two after I re-organize the kitchen cabinets. Ah, the joys of domesticity.

The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

Here is another wonderful reading challenge opportunity from Austenprose-A Jane Austen Blog. It is the bicentennial anniversary of the publication of one of my favorite books of all time: Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. There are a lot of fun Jane Austen biographies out there, as well as several spin-offs. In fact, I have started a nice collection of my own that I am simply itching to expand. Here is another good excuse for me to do so. *wink*

For this challenge, I will be committing to the Aficionada level, which means I will be reading/viewing 9-12 books/films. My projected book/film list is as follows:








Books

• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - finished March 27
  
• Colonel Brandon's Diary by Amanda Grange
• Elinore and Marianne: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility by Emma Tennant
• Eliza's Daughter by Joan Aiken
• Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters - finished March 10
• The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
• The Dashwood Sisters Secrets of Love by Rosie Rushton
• The Third Sister by Jane Barrett

Movies

• Sense and Sensibility (1995)
• Sense and Sensibility (2008) - watched it on March 26

With that being said, it's time to go. I've got a lot of reading to do!

Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011

I'm already participating in the Goodreads 2011 reading challenge with a commitment to read 50 books this year. I just stumbled upon another challenge that I'm very excited about at Austen Prose-A Jane Austen Blog. The challenge is to read novels from Stephanie Barron's Being a Jane Austen Mystery series. I first discovered these fun novels about 5 years ago and really enjoyed the ones that I have gotten to read so far. I still have several of them on my Goodreads "To-Read" list, so this would be a wonderful opportunity to check them off the list.

There are 3 different levels of commitment: Neophyte (read 1-4 novels); Disciple (5-8 novels); and Aficionada (9-11 novels). I would love to go for the Aficionada level, but my local libraries don't have any books from the series, so I am going to have to procure them for myself. I just ordered the first novel using an Amazon gift card that I earned via Swagbucks, but it will take quite a length of time to collect all 11 novels. Therefor, I think I will go for the Disciple level and if I can read more than that, great!

There are currently 10 novels with an 11th to be released in August. The novels are as follows:

1. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manner (1996)
2. Jane and the Man of the Cloth (1997)
3. Jane and the Wandering Eye (1998)
4. Jane and the Genius of the Place (1999)
5. Jane and the Stillroom Maid (2000)
6. Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House (2001)
7. Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (2003)
8. Jane and His Lordship's Legacy (2005)
9. Jane and the Barque of Frailty (2006)
10. Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (2010)
11. Jane and the Canterbury Tale (2011)

It is my goal to get through at least the first 8. If I'm going to go for the Disciple level, I want to go big! Who knows, maybe I'll be able to keep pushing into the Aficionada level and up my Goodreads commitment in the process. A girl needs a little ambition in her life.

Update; June 6, 2011 - I am doing a lot more ARC and galley reviews than I would have anticipated, so something has to give. I have not made any progress on this challenge in quite a while, so I am going to have to bow out for this year. Hopefully I can give it another shot next year.

Current Reading Habits and My Reading Nook

Lately I've been reading a lot of novels that can pretty well be considered fluff. I'm talking your so-called trashy romance novels here. I've been so stressed out about my classes that I pretty much need something less serious than what I read for class to calm me down. I've been slowly working my way through The Mysteries of Udolpho, as well. However, I'm finding that my progress with that book has slowed considerably. I think it is due to all of the tears-glistening-in-eyes that goes on in that book. I feel down enough as it is without reading about someone being depressed. No, thanks. I'll come back to it at a later time. I do at least have a wide variety of novels on my NOOK, so hopefully I can pick something besides a romance novel for my next book.

I've been working on my reading space all week. I now have a wingback chair thanks to some friends of mine. It has worn fabric and was in need of a new seat cushion, but I have taken care of all that. It now wears a solid brown slipcover that I got for a steal on Amazon and also holds two pretty brown satin-like throw pillows with blue tree branches embroidered on them (a $6 find from Kirkland's; I do love a clearance sale).

I already had a brown suede ottoman that my mom had given me. It is of the variety that has storage, so it has an upholstered lid. The lid was starting to become worn, so I decided to spiff it up a bit, as well. Hobby Lobby has a sale on several items this week. Luckily for me, fabric was one of the sale items. I was able to get a yard of blue fabric with brown polka dots for under $8. I covered the lid with some cotton batting to help improve the padding. Then, I cut the appropriate amount of fabric (I should have enough left to make a small bolster pillow) and stapled it around the inner edges of the lid. Voila! My ottoman looks as good as new. The chair and ottoman sit on a pretty brown, tan, and blue rug I found on clearance at Walmart.

Next to my chair, I have placed one of the teak tables John inherited from his grandfather and a silver stick lamp with a black and white damask shade (I'd like to switch out the shade, though; Irene has drawn all over it). I wish I could move my book case out here to sit on the other side of the chair, but Irene does so enjoy taking every book she can reach off of it whenever she gets the chance. For the indeterminate future, it looks as if I will have to make do with keeping the bookcase in the bedroom where it is out of her reach.

I have a few things to put up on the walls around my nook, as well, but I am out of energy for tonight. There will eventually be a brown, white, and blue memo board (the quilted type with brown criss-crossed ribbons); a pair of framed bird prints that I found on clearance for $10 at Kirkland's when we first moved here; and two blue and white stone plaques depicting birds and the saying of "A wish is a dream waiting to come true," a Hobby Lobby clearance find (under $3 each).

I'm very pleased with how my space is turning out. It is so nice to be able to sit in my special chair and read, use my laptop, or do my homework. It is everything I had hoped it would be and look forward to many hours of novel-reading in it.