A very quick post that is mostly filler and excuse. Because that's how I roll. I do have plans - they would be resolutions had I blogged them in January as planned - but that's all been a bit scuppered by real life, or...
My Excuses For Ignoring My Blog For Months
- Work: I got a Christmas job in Waterstone's, which is pretty much dream come true except that it is knackering. Very, very knackering. Nothing like standing up for hours on end and not being able to stretch your legs without looking like you're doing aerobis behind the counter to make you appreciate office work. And when the till decides it's not going to co-operate and send you in circles as you try to process gift vouchers you're unable to do what I usually do: hit the montior and swear, because nothing makes a computer work like tapping it repeatedly and threatening it with violence, but doing this in front of children isn't a good idea (for the record, I didn't; I just made angry faces).
Which makes it sound like I hated the job. I didn't, I loved it. It was Waterstone's, there were books. That is all I really need in my life.
Then in January, I got a temp job that has now become permanent. It's office work and data entry and full time. I have not worked full time since June 2010 - I hadn't worked at all between then and November of last year. It has been a shock to the system, though at least I am no longer in a customer service call centre. That used to have me banging my head against the desk, literally.
This makes it sound like I am complaining about having a job, which in the state the economy is in is a) foolish and b) ungrateful. I like having a job, I just miss having free time.
- Laziness: I am very lazy. Get home from work and crash out lazy. Watch the same sitcom on DVD for ages because it's easier than having to focus on something new lazy. Start the same episode of Fringe three times before deciding to watch something I've seen before lazy. In all this, my reading has slowed down, and my blogging has suffered, as has my own writing. Knowing I have this problem doesn't make me do anything about it...because I am lazy.
Resolutions, or If I Blog It It Will Happen
This happened with my two NaNo wins (2009 and 2010, yay!) - blogging about it meant I did it. So:
Blogging
- At least two posts a week
- At least one review a week
- Post a weekly reading round up on Sundays (because I am not working so have no excuses)
- Monthly round ups
Reading
- 10 books a month (need this to hit my target of 100 this year)
- 20 Fill in the Gaps books this year (have made it to 3)
Further details to follow - I am going to make a list of titles and targets and I am going to read them. Yes, I am.
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Thursday, 5 January 2012
2011: End of Year Book Survey
This survey is hosted/created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner. I also completed it last year. A full list of the books I read in 2011 is here.1. Best Book You Read in 2011?
Posted my Top Ten here, but even that was tricky to choose/order once I'd gone past 1 and 2. My best book of the year was The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett, which I cannot recommend enough, even with the caveats that 1) it's out of print in Britain unless you get the US editions in Foyles or go second hand on amazon (both options are often expensive; 2) it's complex as hell; and 3) I'm still not sure I understand everything, but I like that in a book if it's because the writer is good rather than because it's a muddle.
2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wished You Loved More Than You Did?
There were a couple of these, usually a result of my own expectations:
The Body Finder by Kimberley Derting - I enjoyed it but didn't love it as much as I thought I would
The Marlows and the Traitor by Antonia Forest - I think because her later books are so damn good I was disappointed by this one; also, like End of Term, there are some really painful bits
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - on paper, many things I love - Jane Eyre, feminism, reimagining of a text - but it left me feeling a little meh
3. Most Surprising (in a Good Way!) Book of 2011?
YA Paranormal - almost every one I read but especially the Wicked Lovely series, My Soul to Take and The Iron King. I went in expecting certain things and then, oh, I was an idiot, because it turns out not everything is Twilight.
Percy Jackson - again, went in with expectations, this time that I would be Outraged; I'm a Classicist, dammit, I am not Going to Hold With Any of This Nonsense. Loved the first two, have the remaining three lined up. Though Hermes is a young guy in my head (and he and Apollo have drinking contests).
4. Book You Recommended Most to People in 2011?
Looking for Alaska by John Green. I read it last year but this was when I got other people to read it, mostly by rabbiting on about it. Now pushing Paper Towns on my flatmate.
5. Best Series You Discovered in 2011?
This was the year of awesome series, but the top five: the Lymond Chronicles, Ruby Oliver, Wicked Lovely, Georgia Nicholson and Percy Jackson.
6. Favourite New Author You Discovered in 2011?
Dorothy Dunnett, Rosemary Sutcliff, E Lockhart and Helen Grant.
7. Best Book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. I've read dystopian and science fiction before, but never quite like this. It is bleak and brilliant and the style might take a bit of getting used to but is so worth it. Am going to need to reread this and read the remaining two in 2012.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2011?
Sheer sticky fingers, don't interrupt me readability - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. I made my flatmate confiscate it when it arrived because I had my own writing to do, then got it back in the evening and didn't put it down.
Plotty, whoa where is this going? - The Crowfield Demon by Pat Walsh. Angels, demons, fairies and a medieval monastery. This was written with me in mind. Ditto The Iron King and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.
9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
There were a few: Lola and the Boy Next Door, Bad Taste in Boys, Real Live Boyfriends and Beauty Queens are ones I bought and read. There are others in my TBR pile mocking me.
10. Favourite Cover of a book you read in 2011?
11. Most memorable character in 2011?
Francis Crawford of Lymond. Unknowable, infuriating and a walking quotations book, but he's fascinating.
12. Most beautifully written book in 2011?
The Vanishing of Katharina Linden by Helen Grant and Before I Die by Jenny Downham.
13. Book that had the biggest impact on you in 2011?
Probably Before I Die. Though the Ruby Oliver series also deserves a mention for how hideously accurately it portrays social breakdown when you're a teenager.
14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Tithe by Holly Black and Nation by Terry Pratchett. All on my shelves for ages, all not read - in the case of Speak and Nation, because I thought they would be too painful. I have to stop shying away from books I think will 'hurt'.
15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read in 2011?
The Eagle of the Ninth - the chase across Scotland, so amazing.
Dancing in my Nuddy Pants - the ferry journey to France, driven by Captain Mad, makes me laugh every time.
This is tricky without books nearby to quote from, but vast chunks of Beauty Queens made me want to break my unwritten rule and write in a non-study book.
16. Book that you read in 2011 that would be most likely to reread in 2012?
Because I want to finish the series and need to reread the first book: The Knife of Never Letting Go and Uglies.
Because I really enjoyed them: Ironside, Lola and The Iron King.
17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
The Game of Kings (Lymond taking Will upstairs in the inn); A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma's dream about Kartik); The Knife of Never Letting Go (THE END, holy hell); and Hex Hall (towards the end).
The Game of Kings (Lymond taking Will upstairs in the inn); A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma's dream about Kartik); The Knife of Never Letting Go (THE END, holy hell); and Hex Hall (towards the end).
Looking Ahead...
1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating in 2012?
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.
3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?
Reading - read more slowly. I read more this year than ever before and, while I enjoyed that, I didn't really savor the books as I usually do. Am also planning to reread more in 2012 than I did in 2011.
Reading - read more slowly. I read more this year than ever before and, while I enjoyed that, I didn't really savor the books as I usually do. Am also planning to reread more in 2012 than I did in 2011.
Blogging - blog more. I am really bad. I need to schedule things and stick to them. More reviews, of new and old reads, and try to connect more with other bloggers. Need to get over my shyness of doing that.
All in all, 2011 has been great for reading. I've discovered a load of fantastic new authors and books, and I've finally started using libraries to keep my book costs down. I hope 2012 is as good.
2011: Statistics and Top Ten Books
Statistics
Total Books Read = 153
Total Pages Read = 46965
Average Books Read Per Month = 13
Average Pages Read Per Month = 3914
Month Read Most Books = July (23)
Month Read Most Pages = July (6609)
Month Read Fewest Books = January (2)
Month Read Fewest Pages = January (539)
Owned Books Read =70 (46%)
Borrowed Books Read = 83 (54%)
Most Read Author = Louise Rennison (11 books in total)
Top Ten Books of the Year
01. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett - reread this in December and my God, it's good. Complicated, complex and difficult, but brilliant nonetheless.
02. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - AKA my thoughts on feminism, gender and sexuality let me show you them, all expressed far better than I ever could. With satire and politics thrown in as well.
03. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - I love Steph's writing, and Anna and St. Clair are in it. I may have squeed a little (just a little).
04. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - I think Anne is my favourite Bronte, and this is my favourite of her (two) books. 19th century feminism that shocked people at the time (but, why does she leave her abusive, alcoholic husband? What a dreadful woman to do such a thing), it's possibly best described as what happens when you do marry the rake.
05. Before I Die by Jenny Downham - beautifully written and had me in tears at the end. A difficult/painful subject dealt with perfectly.
06. Real-Live Boyfriends by E Lockhart - this is really to cover the entire Ruby Oliver series, which I'd put off reading because I was pretty sure it would reawaken my teenage angst (which it did) but the awesomeness of the books far outweighed any painful memories they evoked.
07. Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr - again, to cover an entire series: Wicked Lovely. All the plot threads sewn up, lots of Irial/Niall and all of Keenan's brattishness being addressed - fantastic.
08. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - my first Dickens, read because I watched the BBC adaptation and discovered that there were entire subplots that weren't, for some reason, in the musical. Enjoyed it, despite the anti-Semitism (squick me much?) and the sheer number of bloody coincidences (Dickens' favourite plot device, methinks).
09. Nation by Terry Pratchett - another book I'd put off reading because I thought it would be too upsetting. Wish I hadn't: it's absolutely brilliant and, like Beauty Queens, sums up a lot of my thoughts on 'issues'. The ending is bittersweet and beautiful.
10. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff - introduced me to one of my new favourite authors, and is fantastic. The latter half of the book is incredibly tense. The only real surprise is that the film is even more homoerotic than the book.
Total Books Read = 153
Total Pages Read = 46965
Average Books Read Per Month = 13
Average Pages Read Per Month = 3914
Month Read Most Books = July (23)
Month Read Most Pages = July (6609)
Month Read Fewest Books = January (2)
Month Read Fewest Pages = January (539)
Owned Books Read =70 (46%)
Borrowed Books Read = 83 (54%)
Most Read Author = Louise Rennison (11 books in total)
Top Ten Books of the Year
01. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett - reread this in December and my God, it's good. Complicated, complex and difficult, but brilliant nonetheless.
02. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - AKA my thoughts on feminism, gender and sexuality let me show you them, all expressed far better than I ever could. With satire and politics thrown in as well.
03. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - I love Steph's writing, and Anna and St. Clair are in it. I may have squeed a little (just a little).
04. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - I think Anne is my favourite Bronte, and this is my favourite of her (two) books. 19th century feminism that shocked people at the time (but, why does she leave her abusive, alcoholic husband? What a dreadful woman to do such a thing), it's possibly best described as what happens when you do marry the rake.
05. Before I Die by Jenny Downham - beautifully written and had me in tears at the end. A difficult/painful subject dealt with perfectly.
06. Real-Live Boyfriends by E Lockhart - this is really to cover the entire Ruby Oliver series, which I'd put off reading because I was pretty sure it would reawaken my teenage angst (which it did) but the awesomeness of the books far outweighed any painful memories they evoked.
07. Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr - again, to cover an entire series: Wicked Lovely. All the plot threads sewn up, lots of Irial/Niall and all of Keenan's brattishness being addressed - fantastic.
08. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - my first Dickens, read because I watched the BBC adaptation and discovered that there were entire subplots that weren't, for some reason, in the musical. Enjoyed it, despite the anti-Semitism (squick me much?) and the sheer number of bloody coincidences (Dickens' favourite plot device, methinks).
09. Nation by Terry Pratchett - another book I'd put off reading because I thought it would be too upsetting. Wish I hadn't: it's absolutely brilliant and, like Beauty Queens, sums up a lot of my thoughts on 'issues'. The ending is bittersweet and beautiful.
10. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff - introduced me to one of my new favourite authors, and is fantastic. The latter half of the book is incredibly tense. The only real surprise is that the film is even more homoerotic than the book.
Friday, 2 December 2011
Month in Review: November 2011
Another lazy month, reading and blogging-wise. I have been doing some of my own writing - though not taking part in NaNo for the first time since 2009 - and this is taking priority over reading. And then I bought a couple of new games and lost some time to those (Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, both very good and very timesuck-y).
I also don't think my reading is going to go up in December, but I do plan to do a lot of Year in Review style posts on the blog, covering things I've read this year and challenges I've completed.
Books Read in November 2011
134. The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff
135. The Missing - Lisa McMann
136. Real Live Boyfriends - E. Lockhart
137. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
138. Dead Girls' Dance - Rachel Caine
139. Frontier Wolf - Rosemary Sutcliff
140. Beauty - Robin McKinley
141. The Iron King - Julie Kagawa
142. Love and Other Four Letter Words - Carolyn Mackler
143. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
144. The Mark of the Horse Lord - Rosemary Sutcliff
Stats
Total Books Read = 11
Total Pages Read = 2924
Average Book Length = 266
Owned Books = 2
Library Books = 8
Bought After Borrowing & Reading = 1 (The Iron King)
Most Read Author = Rosemary Sutcliff (3).
Top Ten Books of the Month
01. Real Live Boyfriends
02. The Iron King
03. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
04. The Missing
05. The Lantern Bearers
06. Frontier Wolf
07. Beauty
08. The Mark of the Horse Lord
09. Dead Girls' Dance
10. Love and Other Four Letter Words
I also don't think my reading is going to go up in December, but I do plan to do a lot of Year in Review style posts on the blog, covering things I've read this year and challenges I've completed.
Books Read in November 2011
134. The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff
135. The Missing - Lisa McMann
136. Real Live Boyfriends - E. Lockhart
137. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
138. Dead Girls' Dance - Rachel Caine
139. Frontier Wolf - Rosemary Sutcliff
140. Beauty - Robin McKinley
141. The Iron King - Julie Kagawa
142. Love and Other Four Letter Words - Carolyn Mackler
143. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
144. The Mark of the Horse Lord - Rosemary Sutcliff
Stats
Total Books Read = 11
Total Pages Read = 2924
Average Book Length = 266
Owned Books = 2
Library Books = 8
Bought After Borrowing & Reading = 1 (The Iron King)
Most Read Author = Rosemary Sutcliff (3).
Top Ten Books of the Month
01. Real Live Boyfriends
02. The Iron King
03. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
04. The Missing
05. The Lantern Bearers
06. Frontier Wolf
07. Beauty
08. The Mark of the Horse Lord
09. Dead Girls' Dance
10. Love and Other Four Letter Words
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Rereadathon: End Result
Oh, look at that, no extra posts over the weekend and this is going up Tuesday not Monday. And I only reread two books over the weekend because I was sucked into the world of Lego Harry Potter, trying to find any character who could do dark magic (oh, Bellatrix, that was possibly the first time I've ever been happy to see, thank you for hovering over Hagrid's hut like that).
Anyway, the books read were...Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Paper Towns. So, the first two on my list. The others on there are, however, still books I very much want to reread (and review) so that will happen soon, I hope.
The Rereadathon was hosted by The Perpeutal Page Turner, who put up some questions over the weekend which I missed owing to time zone differences and lack of internet, but here are my answers now:
Friday/1. What books are you planning on rereading? Why did you pick those?
I have a list of the books I was planning to reread on my masterpost, and the main reason for picking all of those was: I love them. And I haven't read some of them for a while (Harry Potter, how have I gone so long without touching those books?). Those I have reread recently I've skimmed/skipped to my favourite bits - or skipped over bits I find boring. The plan was to revisit and re-evaluate a lot of my favourites, which didn't really happen. Still, all those books on that list: I love and recommend.
Saturday/2. How are your general feelings towards rereading? Are you finding yourself remembering [more] things about these books than you thought you would? Are you feeling like you are moving quickly through the books because you've already read them. Are you enjoying them as much as you did the first time you read them?
I reread a lot - it often stops me from reading new books - but, as I say above, I often skip. I also hadn't read the two books I reread this weekend for a while. I don't think I got through them faster (I read them both in one sitting originally) and I definitely enjoyed them as much as the first time. There were things I'd forgotten in both books, which were often things that made me laugh, but I could remember the basic plot which is how it tends to go with me and books: basic plot, few set pieces, none of the jokes.
Sunday/3. Overall, how was your experience rereading? Do you feel like it's something you want to do more or do you feel like you'd rather read new books?
I love rereading, but actually think it's something I should do less: I miss out on trying new books because I'm so happy with my old ones. It's easier to stick to what I know than experiment - except that when I do experiment I find something I really like. It also prevents me doing little things like returning books to the library on time rather than renewing and renewing because I haven't got round to reading them yet. Still, the books I read this weekend were as fantastic as I remembered, and I'm definitely going to reread the other books on that list.
Now I have to get back to reading a book the library wants returned tomorrow.
Anyway, the books read were...Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Paper Towns. So, the first two on my list. The others on there are, however, still books I very much want to reread (and review) so that will happen soon, I hope.
The Rereadathon was hosted by The Perpeutal Page Turner, who put up some questions over the weekend which I missed owing to time zone differences and lack of internet, but here are my answers now:
Friday/1. What books are you planning on rereading? Why did you pick those?
I have a list of the books I was planning to reread on my masterpost, and the main reason for picking all of those was: I love them. And I haven't read some of them for a while (Harry Potter, how have I gone so long without touching those books?). Those I have reread recently I've skimmed/skipped to my favourite bits - or skipped over bits I find boring. The plan was to revisit and re-evaluate a lot of my favourites, which didn't really happen. Still, all those books on that list: I love and recommend.
Saturday/2. How are your general feelings towards rereading? Are you finding yourself remembering [more] things about these books than you thought you would? Are you feeling like you are moving quickly through the books because you've already read them. Are you enjoying them as much as you did the first time you read them?
I reread a lot - it often stops me from reading new books - but, as I say above, I often skip. I also hadn't read the two books I reread this weekend for a while. I don't think I got through them faster (I read them both in one sitting originally) and I definitely enjoyed them as much as the first time. There were things I'd forgotten in both books, which were often things that made me laugh, but I could remember the basic plot which is how it tends to go with me and books: basic plot, few set pieces, none of the jokes.
Sunday/3. Overall, how was your experience rereading? Do you feel like it's something you want to do more or do you feel like you'd rather read new books?
I love rereading, but actually think it's something I should do less: I miss out on trying new books because I'm so happy with my old ones. It's easier to stick to what I know than experiment - except that when I do experiment I find something I really like. It also prevents me doing little things like returning books to the library on time rather than renewing and renewing because I haven't got round to reading them yet. Still, the books I read this weekend were as fantastic as I remembered, and I'm definitely going to reread the other books on that list.
Now I have to get back to reading a book the library wants returned tomorrow.
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