Monday, November 30, 2009
November summary
And then I only read 5 books? I'm certainly not happy about that! Maybe if I hadn't forgotten my books at home all the time, I would have read more, but we'll never know now!
Added
125) Patricia Davids: Speed Trap (can I blame the authors? she told me about it and I couldn't resist LOL)
126) Tzipi Caton: Miracle Ride - A True Story of Illness, Fate, Humor - And Triumph
127) P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast: Marked
128) P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast: Betrayed
129) P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast:Chosen
130) P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast:Untamed
131) Josh Bazell: Beat the Reeper
132) Nick Sagan: Edenborn
133) Alan Bradley: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
134) Melissa Marr: Wicked Lovely
135) Gareth P. Jones: The Thornthwaite Inheritance
136) Wolfgang Schorlau: Das München-Komplott (German mystery)
137) Ralf Schmitz: Schmitz' Katze (German book by comedian)
138) Eckard von Hirschhausen: Die Leber wächst mit ihren Aufgaben (German book by comedian)
139) Lernkrimi Italienisch: Mord in der Scala (Language Practice Italian: Murder at the Scala)
140) Jeffery Deaver: The Vanished Man
141) Melissa De La Cruz: Masquerade
142) Georges Simenon: Maigret et le clochard
143) Vicki Lewis Thompson, Jill Shalvis, Rhonda Nelson: Better Naughty Than Nice
144) Gene Luen Yang: American Born Chinese
145) Michael Anthony: Mass Casualties
146) Dan Brown: Da Vinci Code (in French, gift from a dear friend!)
Read
92) a great book you'll hear more about as soon as possible! (not the same as #91 in October!)
93) Martin Millar: Lonely Werewolf Girl
94) Cassandra Clare: City of Bones
95) Gareth P. Jones: The Thornthwaite Inheritance
96) Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child: Reliquary (audio)
97) Yasushi Inoue: Memoirs of the Priest Honkaku
DNF
6) Dan Brown: The Lost Symbol (I'm still annoyed I actually shelled out the money for the hardcover!)
the one with the Pages Read Challenge Season 2
But then, the end of the year also means that all those wonderful reading challenges pop up again and we have to figure out which ones we want to join in.
In 2009, I hosted the Pages Read Challenge for the first time and I will host it again in 2010, so post a comment to sign up!
The rules are easy:
1) Pick a number of pages you'll be attempting to read in 2010. It doesn't matter whether your goal is 10,000 or 100,000. You can always up your number as we go along, so you don't need to go all up high with your page count.
2) Write a blog post about it in which you will keep track of your page count.
3) Comment here with your goal number and a link to your blog post (if you have a blog - otherwise, just leave a comment with your name and the goal number). I'll then add you to the list of participants below.
4) The challenge starts January 1, 2010 and ends December 31, 2010. Only pages read after the new year has begun count in for the challenge, but any and every page you read counts for this challenge. I don't care about re-reads, overlaps with other challenges, or e-books! Just count the pages you read, no matter what type of book you're reading :-) See, it's a really easy challenge!
5) As usual: Have fun!
Michelle @ True Book Addict even created a great button for the challenge:
Thanks a lot, Michelle!
The participants:
1) Jennifer - 50,000
2) Kathrin - 25,000
3) AlleluiaLu - 20,000
4) Amanda - 40,000
5) Veronika - 15,000
6) Kris - 31,000
7) Kara - 30,000
8) Kirthi - 70,000
9) Kathrin - 25,000
10) Janet - 35,000
11) Aleksandra - 50,000
12) Veggiemomof2 - 30,000
13) Jaime - 40,000
14) Wendy - 20,000
15) Kelly - 10,000
16) Lindy - 100,000
17) Erin - 20,000
18) Becky - 100,000
19) lioness37 - 50,000
20) Jules - 50,000
21) Kris @ Bookheart - 23,000
22) Susan - 35,000
23) CCDPiper - 18,000
24) Gina - 80,000
25) Kelly - 30,000
26) Sandra - 40,000
27) SueFitz - 20,000
28) Michelle - 1,000,000
29) Michelle @ The True Book Addict - 30,000
30) Velma - 25,000
31) Kristin - 40,000
32) The Clumsy Reader - 1,000,000
Monday, November 23, 2009
the one with the Series Challenge Season 4
EDIT: As of now, you can leave links to reviews in the blog post for reviews and summaries! Thanks.
It's that time again! The end of the year is near and with this the 3rd Series Challenge is about to end. So let's see whether we can keep this going! (Oops, I almost missed the end of the challenge I host!)
The challenge starts December 1st, 2009 and goes until November 30th, 2010.
The rules are easy:
1) Pick a couple series you already started and now want to finish (meaning, you'll be all up to date with the series when it ends).
2) Read at least 4 books, more are also okay, of course!
3) Crossovers with other challenges are always okay.
4) Post your review of the books on your blog or in the comment section, no matter how long. If you post the review on your blog, please post a link to the review in the comment section so that everyone else can check out your review.
5) Have fun!
As I can only put up one Mr. Linky on my blog it would be nice if you left a link to your blog post in the comment section. I'll add you to the list of participants.
The Participants:
1) Jennifer
2) Kara
3) Grilsgood
4) Kirthi
5) kim in ohio
6) jlshall
7) Kathrin
8) Violette Severin
9) sausconys-books
10) Kris
11) Aleksandra
12) Beth F
13) Mark
14) Veggiemomof2
15) blondierocket
16) Rhinoa
17) Joanne
18) Dreadful Penny
19) emmegailsbookshelf
20) samantha1020
Saturday, November 21, 2009
the one with a challenge idea
Earlier this month (November 12), German kid lit author Michael Ende would have been 80 years old (he died in 1995). He wrote some great books for kids, among others The Never-Ending Story, the Jim Button books and Night of Wished or The Satanarchaeolidealcohellish Notion Potion.
picture: LastFM
The basic idea for the challenge is that I would also write about it on my German blog to bring together the German and English blogging world, if possible.
Everyone would have to read one of Ende's books, though if you want to read more, that's also okay. Once you've written a review, I would then translate the review so that it is available for everyone and leave a link to your blog (of course!).
Would you be interested?
Friday, November 20, 2009
the one with the non-bookish rant
I know I am waaay behind, but I just finished the very last two episodes of Gilmore Girls. I had the DVD box on the shelf next to the TV at my parents' for ages literally, but I couldn't make myself watch it because I knew there wouldn't be any more Lorelai and Rory as soon as I finished the 7th season.
Now first of all: It's over after only 7 seasons? Why? I want more of the girls, of Emily & Richard, of the people in Stars Hollow... I can't believe this is it! I want more, I have so many questions that weren't answered.
And then, the last two episodes. The ones I watched today, tonight. I'm sorry, but up until last weekend (yes, I live without a TV on weekdays!) I was okay with the story line, with what happened. But now? If Lorelai and Luke hadn't "made up" somehow, and if Emily hadn't showed in her very, very unique and bossy way that she really wants Lorelai to be around, that she wants to see her and talk to her and know what's going on, then I would have opened the blends again and thrown the whole damn DVD box out!!!
I mean, seriously? No more Logan? Never again Logan and Rory? They've been through so much together, had they ups and downs and now this is it? Just like that and for such a stupid reason??? Look at them!
No, sorry, I don't buy it and I'm pissed. I don't even know how to say it!!!
Goodbye, my beloved Gilmore Girls! I spent years with you and had so much fun. You'll be missed!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Cassandra Clare: CITY OF BONES
Cassandra Clare
CITY OF BONES
560 pages
McElderry
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5507-8
When Clary Fray sees a boy being stabbed by three other teenagers at a club, she is shocked. Even more so, when the stabbed boy suddenly disappears and no one seems to even have seen the whole incident. After her return home the next day, her mother has disappeared and she is attacked by a giant spider. Barely saved by Jace, one of the teens who stabbed the boy at the club, she realizes there is more than meets the eye of a mortal - much more! And soon Clary is in the middle of a war between good and bad, Shadowhunters (half human, half angel, hunting and killing demons) and secretive demonic forces.
The second time I read City of Bones, I realized so much more about the characters and the plot, so "there's more than meets the eye" fits not only the world depicted in City of Bones, but also Cassandra Clare's writing. There are, in fact, so many details I missed the first time around, I'm already planning in a third reading of the series.
Anyway, back on topic. As you might now from reading my blog, I'm pretty new in the fantasy genre other than vampires and werewolves, so I'm still reluctant, but when I first read the back cover blurb of City of Bones it shouted "buy me", and I haven't regretted it one bit.
Clare wrote a page-turning YA fantasy novel full of twists and turns that should even draw in reluctant readers. Throughout most of the book, I saw the pictures and scenes painted clear and vivid. It was as if the characters and surroundings were jumping out, a bit like watching a movie while reading. This, though, will make it hard for the movie (the movie rights have been sold recently) to measure up with.
And the story? Well, you won’t be able to wait long between reading City of Bones and City of Ashes, as the cliffhanger is unfair, annoying and mean at the same time!
Rating: 4.5/5
the one with the stupid, stupid idea
Right now, this book is simply annoying me, so when I had some time left after lunch and some much needed shopping (just the most basic stuff - new hair brush, some tea, etc.) I still had some time left and my favorite coffee shop was packed with people, I decided that the book store around the corner might be a nice place to stay warm and dry until I could get some coffee. Now what a stupid, stupid idea!!!
When I saw that they had The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley I decided that maybe this was the book I should read while I'm at university for the rest of the day. Only - I didn't pay right away. No, I had to look around and browse the shelves a bit longer. Again: What a stupid, stupid idea!
I had three books in hand, when I finally decided I should probably just pay, leave and hope that I could get my coffee.
Oh, right. This being a book blog, it might be a good idea to let you in on the books I got:
Alan Bradley: The Sweetness At The Bottom of the Pie - I can only blame this one on Ann Kingman & Michael Kindness @ Books on the Nightstand. It was at their podcast that I first heard the book and I've been thinking about getting the book ever since. They mentioned it in Episode #21 and then again in Episode #29.
Melissa Marr: Wicked Lovely - I don't remember whom I should blame for this book, but I read a few reviews and as soon as I find them again, I will edit this post accordingly. No blogger should go without the blame he or she deserves ;-)
Gareth P. Jones: The Thornthwaite Inheritance - Now this is a book I never heard a thing about, but the cover and the back cover blurb sounds hilarious, so I had to get this book!
Next time I leave campus for lunch, I'll make sure I'll drag someone along with me - someone who knows I'm on a book buying ban and has enough strenght to keep me away from book stores!
(On a small side note: This is year #4 that I leave NaNo early, I just can't do it. Not with 20 hours of class each week and work - and sleep. Maybe next year...)