Year-end book review 2012

1.  Best book(s) I read in 2012: "Cooking the Books" by Kerry Greenwood

2.  Most disappointing book of 2012: "The Bookshop" by Penelope Fitzgerald

3.  Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012: "The Blue Castle" by L.M. Montgomery.  I didn't expect it to be as fantastic as it was.  I was unexpectedly surprised by how much I loved it. 

4.  Books I recommended most to people in 2012: Big Girls Lovin' trilogy by Angela Verdenius 

5.  Best series I discovered in 2012: Big Girls Lovin' trilogy by Angela Verdenius 

6.  Favourite new author(s) of 2012: Angela Verdenius 

7.  Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2012: "Friday Society" by Adrienne Kress. It may be a young adult novel but it was great.  A steampunk novel with three strong female lead characters...love it.

8.  Book I most anticipated in 2012: "Triggers" by Robert J. Sawyer 

9.  Favourite cover of a book I read in 2012: "Year Zero" by Rob Reid...I love the alien version of the Napster logo.

10. Most memorable character in 2012: Alexia Tarabotti of the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. 

11. Most beautifully written book of 2012: "The Dark Wife" by Sarah Diemer

12. Best book that was out of my comfort zone or was a new genre for me in 2012: "Luscious Love by Zach Sweets...m/m erotic romance.  I also read more erotica this year too.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on me in 2012: "Big Big Love: A Sourcebook on Sex for People of Size and Those Who Love Them" by Hanne Blank

14. Book I can't believe I waited until 2012 to FINALLY read: I probably would have enjoyed "Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers and "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery much more had I read them when I was younger.

15. Book I read in 2012 that would most likely be reread in 2013: The Corinna Chapman series

16. Book that had a scene in it that had me reeling and dying to talk to someone about it? (A WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.  No spoilers!): "Tempest's Fury" by Nicole Peeler.  The cliffhanger ending had me crying my eyes out...can't wait for the final book in the series next year.


Some fun stats:
Books completed: 227
Pages read: 40,937
Books by male authors: 37
Books by female authors: 190
Fiction: 210
Non-fiction: 17
Children's books: 3
YA books: 11
Big fat books (more than 500 pages): 4

Read on,
Paula

Books for christmas

A friend gave me the six books of the Corinna Chapman series by Kerry Greenwood (three for my birthday, three for christmas).  I love them so much that I may reread them during my 2013 "reading from home" project.

Today I received a book in the mail.  When I opened the package, I discovered the copy of Hanne Blank's "The Unapologetic Fat Girl's Guide To Exercise and Other Incendiary Acts".  I had pre-ordered it from Amazon months ago and completely forgotten about it.  It was a nice surprise and I'm eager to read it.

My "reading from home" project, where I only read books I own, starts in three days (and I just happened to be going to the mall anyway) so I stopped in at the book store and picked up "Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller and "Reading in the Brain: The New Science of How We Read" by Stanislas Dehaene.  It wasn't until I got them home that I noticed that the gold leaf embossing on "Song of Achilles" is flaking off and getting itself all over my desk, hands, and anything else I touch.  I'm not happy about that.  I'll have to find some way to fix it, otherwise when I actually read it, it'll turn into an epidemic and I'll have gold leaf everywhere.

According to my LibraryThing account, I have 136 books that I haven't read yet.  And I've got a lot of ebooks I haven't read yet either.  I should probably have enough books to tide me over for the year.  Wish me luck!

Read on,
Paula

"Blue Castle" by L.M. Montgomery

Synopsis:
Twenty-nine years old and still a spinster, Valancy leads a cheerless existence, bullied by her emotionally distant mother and whiny Cousin Stickles. Hemmed in on all sides: by the poverty of her immediate family, by the restrictive social conventions governing the "respectable" middle class in early twentieth-century Canada, and by the horrible knowledge that she is unloved, unwanted, and unneeded, Valancy is near to the breaking point when fate steps in.
Diagnosed with an incurable and fatal heart illness, this quiet young woman decides to put aside fear, live life on her own terms, and seek - for the short time she has left - for her "Blue Castle." Leaving the confines of her mother's house, Valancy takes a job as housekeeper to Roaring Abel, the town drunk, shocking all of Deerwood by taking care of his dying daughter, Cissy Gay, whose unwed motherhood had made her the town pariah.
As Valancy steps out from the shadow cast by her unappreciative family, she slowly grows in confidence and sense of self. Her friendship with Barney Snaith - the disreputable young man who roars through town in his loud Grey Slosson, Lady Jane Grey - blossoms into love, and Valancy reaches for her Blue Castle, determined to be happy for at least one season.

My review:I absolutely loved this book and it is now on my wishlist to own.

"Deerwood and the Stirlings had long since relegated Valancy to hopeless old maidenhood.  But Valancy herself had never quite relinquished a certain pitiful, shamed, little hope that romance would come her way yet -- never, until this wet, horrible morning, when she wakened to the fact that she was twenty-nine and unsought by any man.
Ay, there lay the sting.  Valancy did not mind so much being an old maid.  After all, she thought, being an old maid couldn't possibly be as dreadful as being married to an Uncle Wellington or an Uncle Benjamin, or even an Uncle Herbert.  What hurt her was that she had never had a chance to be anything but an old maid.  No man had ever desired her."

Yeah, that accurately describes my situation.  Except I'm a 37-year-old spinster who has never been desired by a man.  Or a woman for that matter, in this pan-sexuality-minded age.  Right from the first page, I sympathized and connected with the main character.
I loved Montgomery's descriptions and turns of phrase.  There were zingers of humour that are meaningless without the context of the rest of the story.

The book is set in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.  I have family and friends that live there so I personally loved that there was no mention of mosquitoes in the summer.  But they were mentioned in January because of the lack of them.

The plot and action were quick paced until Valancy's biggest life change and then everything slowed down to describe the peaceful serenity of her living on the island.  Despite this major change in pace, I still loved the story.  Montgomery managed to keep the descriptions and the story captivating enough that it didn't bother me at all.

I loved this book so much that I read it in one sitting.

I have not read any other L.M. Montgomery books and I'm undecided as to whether I will or not.  I've seen the movie of "Anne of Green Gables" and liked it enough when I was young, mostly because I am a redhead.  But I don't know if I want to read it.  Since "The Blue Castle" was written for adults, I'm not sure I would like/appreciate "Anne of Green Gables" as much.  "The Blue Castle" is actually quite witty and I worry that any other of Montgomery's works would pale in comparison.

You can read "The Blue Castle" online thanks to Project Gutenberg.

Read on,
Paula

Guilty pleasures

My Goodreads and Shelfari lists tell me I've read just over 200 titles.  But if I were to add all my guilty pleasures titles, it would probably be closer to 250.  Part of this is because of the erotic short stories that Amazon offers for free.  A single girl needs a little fluffy romance/hot sexy erotic story every now and then but I admit I've been overindulging in the last month or two.  But I'm grateful for it because it has lead me to a genre I never tried before and have since discovered how much I love it.  Male-male romance.  There, I said it.  I'm not male so this truly is a "guilty" pleasure.  But I'm drawn to it because of two things: (1) being female, I am not trying to see myself in any of the characters and (2) they're not as cheesy as male-female romance.  Sure, some of the more erotic ones have proved to be a little heartless and cold (aka fuck 'em and forget 'em).  But the romantic ones make me happy in a way a male-female romance never has.  I feel genuinely happy for the happily-ever-after couple(s) in a platonic way.  Usually the male-female romances involve marriage and babies (neither of which are for me).

So far, these are my favourites:
*Luscious Love - Zach Sweets
*First Impressions - Josephine Myles
*Chalk Butterfly: The Complete Trilogy - Audra Red

I read the Fifty Shades of Grey series and they were okay.  Even before I heard it to be true, I was comparing them to Twilight.  But I am not a submissive female and I have a hard time enjoying books about male domination.  However, the same is not true of gay male domination.  Without the female gender involved, my feminist side relaxes.  I am not emotionally involved and find it easier to see how some people can enjoy being dominated.  Any male commandingly telling a female what to do raises my hackles; not so when he does it to another male.  But please don't get the opinion that I have no sympathy for submissive men.  I have a lot of it.  I wouldn't mind being in a relationship with one myself.  I have had gay male friends in the past (there aren't any to be had in my current tiny town) and believe that homosexuality is not the aberration that others would have you believe.

Through 'The Readers' podcast, I found out about the Green Carnation Prize, a prize in the UK celebrating LGBT literature.  Thanks to their lists and 'The Best of Gay Romance' list on Goodreads, I've found a few more titles I'm interested in reading.

Here are a few titles I'm eager to read:
*There But For The - Ali Smith
*Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
*Strange Case of the Composer and His Judge - Patricia Duncker

This is one guilty pleasure I don't ever plan to give up.  I'm grateful to find there is so much more LGBT fiction out there than I thought.  I look forward to reading more and more of it!

Read on,
Paula

Reading goal for 2013

Considering how many books I own (239) and how many of them I have yet to read (102), I've decided to read my own books in 2013.  My original goal was to read only books I own in 2013.  But then I actually counted how many I had and realized that it's not enough to sustain a full year's worth of reading.  As of the beginning of December of this year, I've read 203 books and the year isn't over yet.  So I will dedicate as much of 2013 as it takes to read all of the unread books I own and then I will continue on with books from my to-read list.  Looking through my bookshelves, I've already identified a few I want to read first...I just have to figure out the actual order by January 1, 2013.  In case you are interested to know, the titles I'm most eager to read are:

*People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks

*Iterations - Robert J. Sawyer

*100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson

*Musicophilia - Oliver Sacks

*Inseparable - Emma Donoghue

*Ruined By Reading - Lynne Sharon Schwartz

I've also decided that I will also read any unread ebooks that I've already downloaded.  Any ebooks I download in 2013 will be filed away into a 2013 file until I've finished reading what I already own.  Some of the ebook titles I'm eager to read are:

*Rebellion (Matthew Hawkwood #4) - James McGee

*Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebeccca Skloot

*Bachelor Girl - Betsy Israel

*most of the Rogue Angel series - Alex Archer

*Nature Principle - Richard Louv

I don't usually set myself any reading challenges but I got this idea from an episode of The Readers podcast.  I'll let you know how it works out.

Read on,

Paula

"Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore" by Robin Sloan

Synopsis: 'A gleeful and exhilarating tale of global conspiracy, complex code-breaking, high-tech data visualization, young love, rollicking adventure, and the secret to eternal life—mostly set in a hole-in-the-wall San Francisco bookstore'

The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.

My review: I loved how nerdy this book was.  It blends old world book printing with modern computer technology.  I'm not much of a techie so some of the descriptions were a bit over my head but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book.  I was surprised by how short each chapter was (varying from 5 to 15 pages) but that made it easier to finish a chapter when I had to stop.

This book is told in the first-person narrative by the main character, Clay Jannon.  I quickly came to like him.  I liked the voice the author used for him but I'm not able to describe exactly why I like it.  Perhaps because it is accessible/easy to read but not dumb.

Clay is a resourceful guy who is able to find the help he needs when he needs it.  Although he relies mainly on the intelligence, finances, and resources of others, I liked that the actual mystery solving is done by Clay himself.  He is the true hero in the story and I would have been vastly disappointed if the case were cracked by someone (or something) else.  Throughout the book, I got the feeling that Clay was a bit of a bumbling character (smart but with no sense of direction).  That he ultimately solves the riddle proves that Clay does have brains of his own.

There were moments in the book that I want to remember because of the emotional reaction I had to them.  There is a scene when Clay has found the punches and doesn't want to put the box down.  I could totally understand how he felt and I found the scene funny even though it isn't funny within the story.  And I love the scene when Clay is listening to the audiobook on his drive back to San Francisco because it was a moment that caught me by surprise where something clicks/makes sense in a dramatic way.

I like my books to have happy endings and this one has an epilogue that wraps everything up nicely...just the way I like it.

This was an intellectual mystery that included a secret passage hidden behind a bookshelf.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who likes reading books about books.

Read on,
Paula

Fat girl romance

Being a "plus size" woman myself, I absolutely love the new-to-me genre of BBW fiction.  I particularly love the BBW romances.  My absolute favourite author so far is Angela Verdenius.  I was introduced to the genre by reading her Big Girls Lovin' series and have subsequently read the two titles in her Lawson Boys series, a spin-off from the third title in the Big Girls Lovin' series.

Big Girls Lovin':

*Doctor's Delight (Cherry Williams)

*Cop's Passion (Maddy Lovett)

*Vet's Desire (Cindy Lawson)

Lawson Boys:

*Alex

*Marty

  The thing I like about all of them is the wonderful idea that a gorgeous hunk of a man can fall head-over-heels in love with a fat woman.  Of the five books, only one features a main female character that is not down on herself for her size.  Cindy Lawson (of "Vet's Desire") knows she is beautiful and doesn't care what others think of her size.  I love her for that.  I really enjoyed "Doctor's Delight" because Cherry is a shy, 35 year old, plus-sized virgin...which means I'm not the only one (even if she is fictional).  And I loved that Maddy is an independent, self-sufficient woman.  Although spiced with emotional/psychological drama and graphic sex scenes, I just really enjoyed the love stories.

I also absolutely adore and can't get enough of Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman series. The main character is a fat female baker.  The books are what I call intellectual mysteries...no blood and gore but mysteries nonetheless.  I love the characters and she too falls in love with a gorgeous man.

Corinna Chapman:

*Earthly Delights

*Heavenly Pleasures

*Devil's Food

*Trick Or Treat

*Forbidden Fruit

*Cooking The Books

I also recommend the works of Adriana Hunter and Christa Wick.

If you are fat, I totally recommend these books.  Despite all the fat-positive and size-acceptance blogs I've been reading, it was these books that finally convinced me that fat women deserve (and get) love too.

Read on,

Paula

"Heart's Blood" by Juliet Marillier

Synopsis: Whistling Tor is a place of secrets and mystery. Surrounded by a wooded hill, and unknown presences, the crumbling fortress is owned by a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the district in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan's family and his people; those woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.
For young scribe Caitrin it is a safe haven. This place where nobody else is prepared to go seems exactly what she needs, for Caitrin is fleeing her own demons. As Caitrin comes to know Anluan and his home in more depth she realizes that it is only through her love and determination that the curse can be broken and Anluan and his people set free.
My review: "Heart's Blood" by Juliet Marillier is a Celtic retelling of the Beauty and the Beast tale.  I like this one better because Caitrin is not kidnapped or held against her will.  She is not forced to stay...in fact, she goes there willingly, seeking refuge from an abusive relative.  I like this adaptation because Caitrin is smart.  She can read and write in Irish and Latin in an age when that was very rare for everyone but the rich, regardless of gender.  The chieftain, Anluan, is not an actual animal, just a man deformed by disease in childhood and haunted with grief and a family curse.

I could easily relate to Caitrin and her journey from scared, cowering girl to strong, confident woman.  Learning to hope, to love, to stop listening to the negative voice in your head, and to overcome your past were lessons for the main characters that I have also had to learn.  And learning that, despite how little you may think of yourself, you make a difference in the lives of others just by being yourself.

Learning to believe in yourself is the main lesson for Anluan.  Instead of the beast running from the hordes of angry townspeople come to kill him a la the Disney version, Anluan must form an army to fend off the invading Normans.  For Caitrin, it's learning to stand up for yourself, to confront your tormentors.  Being a kind-hearted and caring person, Caitrin makes friends and makes  a difference in the lives of  the inhabitants of Whistling Tor, even though she doesn't see it herself.

Despite it being slow-paced at times, including flowery and detailed descriptions, this book was captivating and a thoroughly good read.  The characters were well-defined and believable (even the ones that aren't fully human).

Various websites have claimed this as the first in the Whistling Tor series but the author's website sets "Heart's Blood" as a lone title and it seems unlikely that it could be a series.  But I would like to read more about these characters if it turns out to be a series after all.

I read the e-book version of this but have added this title to my wishlist for purchasing.  It is a book I would like to reread.

Read on,
Paula

Rejuvenating interest

I love the idea of blogging. I love writing and do a lot of journaling in my personal life. I've had blogs in the past and eventually lost interest in posting because I end up feeling like I have nothing to say. Call it self-esteem issues or just a general lack of self-absorption. Starting a blog about reading and books should have been and was an enthusiastic project. It started as a course project but I posted more than just my assignments. I really wanted to continue it after the course ended and for a while I did. And then the enthusiasm faded. Although I love reading and I love writing, the two didn't seem to go hand-in-hand for me. On the rare occasions when I write a review about a book I've read, it's because the book has meant something to me, sparked an idea or a thought process. My reviews tend to be vague and short: whether or not I liked it and why. Some reviews I've read by other readers are long and detailed and evocative. I haven't written like that. There are times when I can't vocalize the reason I liked a book...just that I did. Today I listened to a podcast from The Readers that helped rejuvenate my interest in blogging because one of the speakers talked about taking notes while reading a book to help flesh out a book review.  I plan to do that from now on and hope that it will help me develop my book review-writing skills.

Lately, the books I've written reviews for have been books that made me feel lucky for the things I have (or have not) experienced, grateful for the life I have and the person that I am.  Three of them are:

Beauty - Patria Dunn
Ink Me (The Sevens series) - Richard Scrimger
On The Island - Tracey Garvis Graves

I wish I could have been taking notes while I read these titles because I wish I could have written longer, more detailed reviews for them.  So I plan to learn from others and hopefully improve my blogging life.  I'm crossing my fingers for myself.

Read on,
Paula

I don't retain what I read

I love to read and I read a lot.  I always have a book on the go.  I love to read and I love when I love what I'm reading.  But I don't retain what I read for long.  I love the Harry Potter series and I've reread them a few times but I am not one of those people who remember every nuance of the plot and characters.  I have a vivid imagination and use it to lose myself in the book I'm reading.  But once I'm finished the book, once I'm back in daily reality, the vividness of the plot and characters (or information in non-fiction books) fades rather quickly.  Within days, I'd guess.  The really good books that I adore will leave basics of plot and character identity, even after rereading.  I don't know why this is and, aside from frequent rereading, I don't know how to improve my reading memory.  I can at least say that depending on how much time passes between rereadings, I can still be surprised by a book I've already read.  I guess there are advantages either way.

Read on,
Paula

New book motto

"Never read anything but what you like." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is my new reading motto.  Since I have 600+ titles on my to-read list, I really don't have time to waste reading a book I don't enjoy.  The problem is that I feel obligated, once I start, to finish it.  But the book that convinced me to use this new motto is "Infernal Devices" by K.W. Jeter.  I started it, it was interesting, but then I got distracted.  It sat on my currently-reading list for weeks while I wasn't currently reading it.  I finally went back to it and couldn't remember what was going on and had to start over.  Reading this book, I now know that I like books with plotlines, a sense of direction, even if you don't know what will happen, you at least have an idea.  This book does not have one.  I guess it is so far outside my comfort zone that I just couldn't follow.  I got to the end of the second part feeling interested because some of the mysteries had been answered.  And then I was presented with a blank page and a 'Part Three' title page.  And that's when my interest fizzled out.  If the next page had been a new chapter, I would have kept on reading.  But for there to be such a sharp separation between what I had just read and what I was about to read, I just couldn't muster enough interest and motivation to keep going.  I feel bad that I made it so close without finishing.  I do.  Mostly because this is considered a steampunk classic.  It's not that I don't like steampunk.  I just couldn't find any characters worth caring for, even the main character.  But as Nancy Pearl said in one of her radio shows, (and here I paraphrase) guilt has no place in reading.  I will endeavour to stand by that, and my new motto.

Read on,
Paula

Bookish limbo

"Books were a shelter and a friend to me when that shelter wasn't available in real life." - Jacqueline Mitchard

I have so many titles on my to-read list (600+) but I don't plan what I will read next.  I let the books come to me mostly.  Have you ever checked a book out from the library, kept it for three weeks, then returned it unread?  That happens to me somewhat frequently.  That's me trying to guess what I should read next and getting it wrong.  That's when I find myself in a bookish limbo.  I don't know what to read next and nothing has jumped out at me.  This doesn't mean I'm not reading though.  When I am in a bookish limbo, it means I've got a large variety of books on the go all at once.  My preferred reading state is when I am reading one or two books wholeheartedly; in a bookish limbo, I enjoy what I read but am not enveloped by it.  I prefer to drown in my books, to be so enmeshed in what I am reading that I forget the real world exists. And it's not as though I lack for access to books: I belong to two libraries of vastly different collections and I have 190 books in my personal library (most of which I have not read...yet).  So I'm in a bookish limbo waiting for the right 'next book' to come along.  Earlier today I was sitting looking at my personal library.  I'm waffling over the idea of finding a temporary indication of the books I've read, whether sticker or some sort of mark on the spine.  I throw out the idea because I figure I know which ones I've read and which ones I haven't.  And then I reinstate the idea because I come across one that I can't remember if I have or not (turns out I have).  I don't mind rereading but I wouldn't want to pick up a book thinking I haven't read it, only to discover that I have.  Of course, I keep a list on Goodreads, Shelfari, and LibraryThing of what I have read but that's not exactly a quick-access resource if my computer isn't on.  Hmm.  Yes? No?  I'll keep thinking about it.

And now I'll go add some more books to my to-read list.

Read on,
Paula

Literary tattoos

I find tattoos fascinating and have contemplated getting one myself someday.  For me it's an issue of finding something that is meaningful.  I'm still on the hunt for "my" tattoo.  But this blog, 'Words Made Flesh' is a tumblr of literary tattoos.  They have a book, too.  The dream is a little closer after looking at this.

Literary tattoos

I've wanted a tattoo for a long time.  But I'm a wimp when it comes to needles.  Since a tattoo is effectively permanent, I would want my tattoo to have personal meaning that will hopefully last my lifetime.  I also am a book addict.  So when I discovered (a) a book of literary tattoos and (b) the corresponding website, I was transfixed.  I will thoroughly enjoy looking through them.  If I ever do get a tattoo of words, I would want the tattoo artist to be as much of a spelling perfectionist as possible.  When I saw this tattoo, I was horrified.  I would hate to get a tattoo that I could never show anyone simply because of that.  I would feel so ashamed because of it.  But that's me.  Maybe other people don't care.

Read on,
Paula

P.S. In case you didn't notice it, I was horrified by the misspelling of 'through' (spelled 'thorough' in the tattoo).  Supposedly that's how it was spelled in the original of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" but if it had been me, I would have made them spell it correctly.

Want!

Links lead to links lead to links.  And that's how I found Uncommon Goods.  And that's where I found this book clock and these record bookends that I'm putting on my birthday/christmas wishlist.

It's the beginning of Day Two of my week-long staycation and I haven't done as much reading as I would like.  In fact, the only reading I did last night was from a book off my shelf and not from my intended pile.  Oh well.  I learned some very interesting information that will hopefully make a big impact on my health and wellbeing.  I'm a bit excited about that.

I've closed all my internet windows and am logging off to go do some chores and I WILL READ.  I promise.

Read on,
Paula

Bon voyage...sort of.

I've never done this before and I'm both excited and nervous.  That's right, I'm taking a whole week off work and have NO plans.  I tend to only take time off for statutory holidays and special events, for visiting family, etc.  But work has been stressful and I finally decided to take one whole week off work and stay home.  Although I say I have no plans, I mean no big plans.  I have vague plans like 'read' and 'tidy my apartment'.  Nothing too specific, nothing too taxing, nothing that absolutely HAS to be done.  So it's all going to be a new experience for me.  I imagine that with so much time on my hands, I'll probably bore easily and flit from one thing to another.  I recognize this in myself and accept it.  Hell, I am prepared even to flit from one book to another.  I have 10 library books and 5 books I own (not including the other books in my personal collection) that I would really like to read this week.  In case you're curious, here are some of the titles:

*"Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading" - Maureen Corrigan [own]
*"Rebellion" (Matthew Hawkwood #4) - James McGee [library]
*"Hunchback Assignments" (Hunchback Assignments #1) - Arthur Slade [library]
*"Eyre Affair" (Thursday Next #1) - Jasper Fforde [ library]
*"Lost Art of Walking" - Geoff Nicholson [own; I've been reading this one off and on]
*"Devil in the White City" - Eric Larson [library]
*"Phoenix Rising" (Books & Braun #1) - Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris [own]
*"100 Cupboards" (100 Cupboards #1) - N.D. Wilson [own]
*"The Name of This Book Is Secret" (Secret #1) - Pseudonymous Bosch [library]

In fact, all of the books I have planned to read fall into any of three categories: historical, steampunk, and/or books about books.  Even the non-fiction ones.  Weird.  I totally didn't plan that.  Thankfully, I have a collection of books that do not fall into those categories that I can fall back on should I get bored of the other ones.  I'll let you know what happens.

Read on,
Paula

Picking books, buying books...Part 2

I found these questions on bookgirl's nightstand and decided to post my own answers:

How do you find books to read? Reviews? Recommendations? Favorite Authors? Other?
I love the new recommendations feature on Goodreads.  It's the best one I've encountered so far.  Once I discover a favourite author, I will read all their books.  Maybe not right away but they will all end up on my to-read list and I will slowly whittle away at them.  Also, I do most of the ordering for the library I work at and we order from catalogues.  If I'm going to stare at them for hours, I'll make sure to find a title or two (or more) for myself.

Where do you get your books? Independent bookstores? Chain stores? Online? Library?
Since I work at a public library (two of them, to be exact), a large percentage of the books I read are from the library.  I sometimes shop at the nearest Coles and/or Chapters.  I absolutely adored my (sadly, infrequent) visits to the local Half Price Books.  My most recent visit last week revealed that it had gone out of business.  I do not lie when I say I am deeply saddened by this news.  But my recent discovery of Better World Books bolsters my spirit for cheap books from my to-read list.

When? Or more accurately, how often? How many books on average do you get or buy each month?
I don't honestly keep track on a monthly basis simply because it fluctuates based on what else is going on in my life and the particular reading material of the moment.  Last year I broke my own reading record with 100+ titles.  Thankfully my Goodreads and Shelfari accounts keep track of all that for me.  I love stats.  I especially love not having to compile them myself.  I bought a third bookcase last weekend because I want to expand my personal library.  I want to do this without conscious attention on the cost.

What about you?  What are your answers?

Read on,

Paula

Picking books, buying books

Tonight I finished reading "The Little Giant of Aberdeen County" by Tiffany Baker.  I was on the verge of a good end-of-emotional-book cry when a friend called.  She asked me what I was doing, I said I'd just finished my book.  She asked if it was any good.  And this question has two answers for me.  The first is "of course".  My to-read list is 550+ titles long; I don't have the time or patience to read books I'm not interested in.  So if I finish it, it's at least good, if not better than good.  The other answer to this question is "I think so".  What I mean by that is that reading preferences are highly personal.  Book clubs will demonstrate that in one meeting.  But for me personally, just seeing what my friends read is my own demonstration.  I read a lot of non-fiction mixed in with my fiction.  My fiction tastes are different from the general populace and I'm okay with that.  A person's reading tastes are as unique and nuanced as their personality...no two people are completely alike.  So, yes, I enjoyed this book very much but that doesn't mean you or anyone else will like it for the same reasons or at all.  And that's why the freedom to read whatever your heart desires is an important right in our lives.  I mimic Voltaire when I say, "I may not agree with what you read but I will defend to the death your right to read it."

On the topic of buying books, my first shipment from Better World Books is waiting for me at the post office!!  *happy dance*

Read on,
Paula

Book-related products

Some book-related products I'd like to find:
*Literati lip balm (I'm thinking either ShakeSpearmint or Bronte Berry)
*Novel bedsheets
*Printed tights
*"Go away. I'm reading." dust jackets...you can download a pdf version.  I did!
*I'm sure you're aware of the "Keep calm and carry on" viral motto and the spawn of parodies.  Well, someone finally created a 'keep calm and read on' wallpaper that you can download.  I also got the 'keep calm and dream big'.

You know you have too many ebooks on your phone when it takes longer to open your library than it does to make it through the long Tim Horton's line during Roll Up The Rim time on a busy Sunday morning.

Oh yeah, and I found another cheap book website (BookCloseOuts) and their Canadian!!

Read on,
Paula

I want to do this

From bookgirl's nightstand:

*****But you know what I’m doing tonight? Not crossing-off any items on my to-do list that’s for sure. No, I’ve told my husband that I’m in desperate need of bookstore therapy. That means we’ll have to go to Borders and spend all evening there tonight.

We’ll find our spot, drop off our bookbags and go roaming. He’ll check out the latest books on graphic design and art. I’ll be by the table with the latest fiction releases. We usually meet up in the magazine section where I’ll grab tons of fashion, travel and health magazines and he’ll grab some on digital photography or whatever he’s looking into at the moment.

We’ll make it back to our little table, hot cups of chocolate on hand, and enjoy being out together at our second home.*****


I want to do this.  Aside from the annual Word on the Street festival in Toronto in September and the visit to the used bookstore in Powell River at christmas, I don't get to spend hours in a bookstore.  I would so love to do that.  To take my time to browse what's available and to see what they carry from my to-read list.  Hours surrounded by books wanting me to take them home.  *sigh*


Read on,
Paula

Expanding

Yesterday I bought a 5-shelf bookcase and four books.  I am of the opinion that you should always buy at least one new book when you buy a bookcase (similar to the penny for a new wallet?).  But as I said to my friend yesterday, just because I have one new book does not mean I have enough.  If I had had more money, I would have bought a few more.  Damn those monthly expenses for getting in the way of my book buying!  In case you're interested, these are the books I bought:
*All in One: Fabulously Simple and Convenient One-Pot Recipes (no author)
*100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson (100 Cupboards #1)
*Phoenix Rising - Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris (Books & Braun #1)
*Hold On To Your Kids - Gabor Mate; my new-dad brother recommended this and I borrowed it from my library...unfortunately I keep getting distracted by gripping fiction books and decided just to buy my own copy after illegally renewing it three times (oh the staff perks!).

I learned yesterday that size matters when it comes to bookstores.  I bought three of the books at the little Coles store in the mall.  Despite having my 548-title to-read list handy, I found it difficult to locate them because (a) the store didn't carry them, (b) some titles were shelved in the teen area instead of the genre area, and (c) some aren't new enough to be carried in the bookstore.  Although I did eventually browse each area, I found myself feeling frustrated and irritable because I was constantly going back and forth between various areas to check for titles.  Why they can't have the catalogue computers like Chapters does, I don't know.  At least one would be incredibly helpful.  Even if I found that they carried none of the titles on my list (doubtful!), that would not deter me from browsing anyway.  I'm always open to finding new titles I wasn't aware of.  And if you are not open to expanding your to-read list, don't follow me into the bookstore.  You have been warned.

So I built my new bookcase last night, disregarding the instructions by using a power screwdriver.  I'm very happy with it.  I've moved all of my fiction onto it, leaving my other two bookcases for my non-fiction and scrapbook albums.  There is plenty of room for expansion now, which will hopefully last a little while.  But my love of Better World Books will probably ruin that.  The shipping may be slow (2-4 weeks for me) but I'm okay with that.  The price of shipping (free!) is great and every time a box arrives, it will have been so long I won't remember what I ordered and it'll be like getting a gift in the mail.  How wonderful is that?!  Besides, I'm already finding that BWB has titles in stock for shipping that I can't find via traditional (aka mainstream) venues.  Sold!

I'm also expanding my book-related resources and reading material.  The lovely thing about blogs is the blogroll, leading you to more blogs.  Yesterday I found bookgirl's nightstand.  I like her writing style and even if I am not always interested in the same books she is, I still find her descriptions worth reading.  From reading her blog and others that I like, I've realized that, although my blog is book-related, I don't always divulge the titles I have read, bought, or added to my to-read list.  The Goodreads widget is not enough.  I currently own 175 books.  Aside from the four I mentioned above, how many do you know about?  Not that I'm about to give you a list or anything but perhaps you might like to know more about my interests.  Books about books are at the top of the list, just so you know.  Those are the ones at the top of my Better World Books shopping list.  Perhaps I'll expand on that in a future post.

Read on,
Paula  

Buying more books

I googled "cheap books online" and one of the results was for Better World Books.  I don't know if I will ever buy from anywhere else again.  The site promotes literacy, offers free shipping worldwide, and most of the books that I searched for from my to-read list were under $20, 95% of them were under $10.  The books that hovered around the $15-$30 range were ones published in the last two years.  And of the titles I searched for, there was only one I couldn't find.  That's a lot of books they have.  I'm thrilled!  Cheap books, free shipping, AND for every book you buy they donate one to charity.  Seriously!  I'm over the moon about this site.  I'm telling all my book-loving friends.

I bought myself a new hard drive this week and am staying up until the wee hours getting caught up on blogs, videos, music, and all sorts of things I couldn't do with my cantankerously-slow outdated hard drive.  Thankfully, I'm now snowed in for the long weekend.

There is so much I want to get done online.  But I just got "Rapscallion" by James McGee from the library yesterday and it is calling my name.

Read on,
Paula

Book horror

I love books and I love amateur astronomy.  I am picky when it comes to books about astronomy because I don't quite have the brain for following all the science.  While browsing blogrolls of book-related blogs, I came across an post about a set of twelve books called "Astronomical" by Mishka Henner.  In the blog post, a video is included.  It is almost 10 minutes long but I only got to the two-minute mark before I had to stop.  I love books but I am also an environmentalist.  These books, although only printed on demand, are a fucking waste of paper and ink.  There is no reason at all why this should have been done.  I don't care if it is labelled artistic.  I am horrified and obviously angry that someone could even think that this was a good idea.  Pages and pages mostly of nothing but black.  And that's just in the first volume.  There would still be 11 more books of it.  See for yourself.  But you have been warned of the cringe-worthiness of it all.  I'm so mad about this that I don't even know if I will finish watching the video.  If I do, it will only be out of morbid curiosity.



ASTRONOMICAL - The Movie from Mishka Henner on Vimeo.

Read on,
Paula

Currently reading

There's a reason why I don't usually add titles to my "currently reading" list.  Because I usually have many on the go at the same time.  I read based on what I feel like reading at the moment.  If a non-fiction book I'm reading doesn't feel appropriate for me to read at work, I'll read something else.  If a book I'm reading is slow-going, I'll pick up something else temporarily.  I started reading "Infernal Devices" by K.W. Jeter because I'm exploring the steampunk genre for the first time.  I had read the first four books in Gail Carriger's 'Parasol Protectorate' series and loved them.  They've been tagged by others as steampunk.  The Jeter book is claimed to be the first book to give the steampunk genre its name.  But I had picked it up simply because "Resurrectionist" by James McGee had not arrived for me at the library.  It arrived yesterday.  So it has taken preference over the Jeter book.  I also have three non-fiction books on the go.  One has stalled due to too many more interesting books and one is on my BlackBerry for whenever I have to wait for something (in line, for taxis, etc.).  So I currently have about six titles on the go.  And I have about 495 other titles on my to-read list.  And my work schedule has changed so that I now work only one Saturday per month instead of two.  This extra day will undoubtedly be used for non-stop reading.  I love those days when I can do nothing but read.  They are rare and that's why I love them all the more.

Read on,
Paula

End-of-year book survey

I saw this survey on Books and Chocolate and immediately wanted to do one myself.  I'm a little late-ish but I don't care.  So here goes:

1.  Best book(s) I read in 2011: "Ella Minnow Pea" by Mark Dunn and "Earthly Delights" by Kerry Greenwood

2.  Most disappointing book of 2011: It's a tie between "The Map of Time" by Felix J. Palma and "This Dark Endeavour" by Kenneth Oppel 

3.  Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011: I figured I would read the first page of "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness, not like it, and return it to the library.  I finished the book in two days...got totally sucked in! 

4.  Books I recommended most to people in 2011: "Before I Go To Sleep" by S.J. Watson 

5.  Best series I discovered in 2011: The Corinna Chapman series by Kerry Greenwood 

6.  Favourite new authors of 2011: Kerry Greenwood, Ivan Coyote, and Gail Carriger 

7.  Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2011: I go to bed at the same time every night, so when a book is so good that I stay up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it, that's a sure sign the book is good.  I did that for both "Forbidden Fruit" by Kerry Greenwood (read in 1 day) and "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness" (read in 2 days)

8.  Book I most anticipated in 2011: "Wonder" by Robert J. Sawyer, the third and final book in his WWW trilogy 

9.  Favourite cover of a book I read in 2011: "Stars" by Mary Lyn Ray

10. Most memorable character in 2011: Corinna Chapman! 

11. Most beautifully written book of 2011: "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Anne Barrows.  I would also vote it for the book with the longest title.

12. Best book that was out of my comfort zone or was a new genre for me in 2011: I don't like heavy metal music and I'm not much for reading biographies.  But I enjoyed reading "Mustaine" by Dave Mustaine. 

13. Book that had the greatest impact on me in 2011: "The Reading Promise" by Alice Ozma.  I promise to read and I promise to read to my brand new niece. 

14. Book I can't believe I waited until 2011 to FINALLY read: "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.  I was impressed to find that there is more plot to the actual story than the film versions I've seen.  I still love "Mickey's Christmas Carol" for the visual but I actually like the book a lot. 

15. Book I read in 2011 that would most likely be reread in 2012: I have far too many books on my to-read list to do any rereading but if I miraculously ran out of things to read, I would choose any book by Ivan Coyote. 

16. Book that had a scene in it that had me reeling and dying to talk to someone about it? (A WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.  No spoilers!): The revelation about Audrey's father and uncle at the end of "Come, Thou Tortoise" by Jessica Grant.


Some fun stats:
Books completed: 122
Pages read: 27,367
Books by male authors: 63
Books by female authors: 59
Fiction: 75
Non-fiction: 47
Children's books: 34
YA books: 4
Big fat books (more than 500 pages): 3


I might do this again next year.  I already have one of the answers.

Read on,
Paula

Women reading

A few months ago I came across Women Reading, a tumblr about women reading.  The photos vary:
*some are contemporary, some are antique
*some are photos, some are paintings
*some are amateur, some are professional
*some are famous women, some are everyday women
*some are candid, some are staged
*some are original, some are edited
*some are basic, some are creative
but all of them have books and women in them.

From viewing this website, I choose to believe that Marilyn Monroe was an avid reader.  Photos on the website show her reading James Joyce, Walt Whitman, Arthur Miller, magazines and newspapers.  I love the website but I have some nitpicks.  A small percentage of the photos are repeated.  And some of them repeated repeatedly.  Personally, I don't "get" the photos of people sitting or standing on books or laying a book on their face.  How can you enjoy the books if you aren't actually reading them?  And personally, just because a woman and at least one book are in the photo doesn't mean it is about a woman reading.  And what's up with a woman fully clothed sitting in a bathtub of books?  But that's my nitpickiness.  The website is still fabulous in and of itself.  There are approximately 12 photos per page and I've gone through 450 pages so far without reaching the end.  I am grateful for this website because I didn't realize there were so many different artworks involving women reading.  And I get to lose myself in the beauty of it.


Read on,
Paula

Book abuse and free ebooks

Inside a book donated to a library I work at I found a note.  In pen was written "Hi Linda, Thank you for the lend of your book, Brenda".  If a friend of mine were to write me a note inside my book in pen, they wouldn't be my friend for long.  That is the sort of property damage that I find inexcusable.

I recently discovered a fabulous blog that offers the download of free ebooks.  The process is a bit complicated for the non-computer-savvy and the impatient.  But I've gotten some of the books from my to-read list from it.

These days, I'm having different media/ideas/topics colliding in my life.  Today, for example, I am listening to the "Stress" episode of Radiolab, which touches on the same topics that I am reading about in "When The Body Says No" by Gabor Mate.

Read on,
Paula

Books for the holidays

  My final tally for books read in 2011 is 119.  This number includes an unedited proof, therefore 118 are reflected on my Goodreads and Shelfari shelves.  This is the largest number of books I've ever read in one year.  I attribute this mostly to not spending as much time on the computer (aka getting frustrated at my slow hard drive and giving up).  Will this record ever be broken?  I can't really say.  As I've mentioned before, I don't like competition, and competing with yourself is particularly pointless.  I like astounding people with the total though.  I like that a lot actually.  I also like the round number of 100.  So I have decided to strive for 100 again this year, which is an average of 1 book every 3.65 days.  But I will accept whatever number I make it to.

  I don't usually ask for books for christmas; I ask for Chapters gift certificates.  This year, I asked for specific titles and got them from my book-loving friends.  Perhaps I'll continue to do this every year.  The trick is to ask for specific books from specific people so that you don't get multiple copies of the same book.


  The best part of giving christmas presents is the extra room in your luggage for bringing back books.  I spent a week with family in BC and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I even got the honour of editing a proof copy of a book written by a member of the family.  That was cool!  Two days before coming home, I visited a local secondhand bookstore.  I spent two hours browsing to my heart's content.  And then I cashed out.  I bought 16 books (3 to give as gifts) and the owner gave me a lovely discount.  It wasn't until I went to pay for the books that I noticed the sign saying "cash or cheque only".  Thankfully, I'd stopped at the ATM for cash first.  Also, thankfully, the discount brought the total down to the exact amount of cash I had on hand: $60.  I personally feel no shame about this.  It was only the worry about possible negative comments from family that I snuck the pile into the house.  I was very happy that a few books from my very long (and ever-growing) to-read list were among my purchases.  Shoving my clothes into the smaller suitcase and putting the pile of books into my larger backpack, my newly-acquired reading material made it safely back across the country and now sit happily on my bookshelves.

  Also for the holidays, my mother brought me books she has been keeping from our childhood.  I am now the proud owner of the Collier's Junior Classics 10-volume set.  I finally can reread "The Five Chinese Brothers" whenever I wish.  Unfortunately, the set has been stored in a variety of garages over the years and had become a little unsightly.  As I was cleaning them up, I browsed through the table of contents of each.  This was when I realized that although I had loved them as a child, I never got very far in them.  "The Five Chinese Brothers" is in the first volume, along with all the various nursery rhymes I am familiar with, and I recognized a few titles from the second volume.  Any titles I recognized in the subsequent volumes are because I have encountered them elsewhere; some I have read and some I am just familiar with superficially.  This means I have a lot to catch up on.  Perhaps there will be stories from this collection that I will share lovingly with my brand-new niece as she grows older.  I fully intend to wholeheartedly support her love of reading for the rest of our lives.  And that makes me happy.

Read on,
Paula