The December/January Roundup

It’s that time again… sitting down to figure out just how much I’ve read in the last two months. December and January have wildly fluctuated from busy to boring, so my reading has gone a little mad, too.

Score: 5/5 (Books I loved and will definitely read again)

• Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah (5)
  
• Doubt!! (Volume 1) by Izumi Kaneyoshi (5)
• The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (5)
• Otomen (Volume 4) by Aya Kanno (5)
• Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (5)
• Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (5)
• Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (5)
• Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer (5)
• Stork by Wendy Delsol (5)

Score: 4/5 (Books I liked and might read again)

• Devil’s Bride by Stephanie Laurens (4)
• Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride (4.5)
• Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott (4)
• Mammoth Book of Regency Romance ed. by Trisha Telep (4)
• Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (4.5)
• Othello (Volume 5) by Satomi Ikezawa (4)
• Othello (Volume 6) by Satomi Ikezawa (4.5)
• Otomen (Volume 3) by Aya Kanno (4.5)
• Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley (4)
• The Seduction of His Wife by Janet Chapman (4)
• Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce (4)
• Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce (4.5)
• Zombies vs Unicorns ed. by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier (4)

Score: 3/5 (Books that are alright)

• The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Caine (3)
  
• Glass Houses by Rachel Caine (3.5)
  
• Othello (Volume 7) by Satomi Ikezawa (3.5)
• The Summoner by Layton Green (3.5)

Score: 2/5 (Books I’ll probably get rid of)

• Jane Austen in Scarsdale by Paula Marantz Cohen (2.5)

Score: 1/5 (Books I actually hated, or couldn’t finish)

• None! Hooray!

Fun Stats: Over the two combined months, I read 27 books, totaling 8,224 pages. 2 of them were anthologies, containing 35 stories. I had 2,274 blog-views. For my challenges, I’ve read 0/10 graphic novels, 0/5 steampunk novels, 2/5 dystopian novels, 6/50 library books. So far I’ve read 9/100 books

While you’re here, check out the Best of 2010

What challenges are you working on? Are there any books I should really take the time to read?

The October/November Roundup

I didn’t read a ton during October and November, so they’ve been combined into one post.

Score: 5/5 (Books I loved and will definitely read again)

• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (5/5)
• Kiss Me Deadly edited by Trisha Telep (5/5)
• Rampant by Diana Peterfreund (5/5)
• Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah (5/5)
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (5/5)
• A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce (5/5)
• Pegasus by Robin McKinley(5/5)
• The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley(5/5)
• The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley(5/5)
• Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley(5/5)

Score: 4/5 (Books I liked and might read again)

• Jane by April Lindner (4.5/5)
• Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (4.5/5)
• Wolf Tower by Tanith Lee (4/5)
• The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley (4/5)
• Sunshine by Robin McKinley (4/5)
• Otomen (Volume 2) by Aya Kanno (4/5)
• Othello (Volume 1) by Satomi Ikezawa (4.5/5)
• Othello (Volume 2) by Satomi Ikezawa (4/5)
• Othello (Volume 3) by Satomi Ikezawa (4/5)

Score: 3/5 (Books that are alright)

• Real Reads: Pride & Prejudice (3/5)
• Othello (Volume 4) by Satomi Ikezawa (3.5/5)

Score: 2/5 (Books I’ll probably get rid of)

• The Extra-Ordinary Princess by Carolyn Q Ebbit (2/5)

Score: 1/5 (Books I actually hated, or couldn’t finish)

• None, thank goodness

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Fun Stats: Over the two combined months, I read 22 books, totaling 6,386 pages. 1 of them was an anthology, containing 13 stories. I had 1,076 blog-views. I gave away 3 books!

What books did you really enjoy this month? (Or last month?) What books are you looking forward to reading?

The August/September Roundup

August and September were quiet months for me, reading-wise. I’ve combined the two months into one post.

Score: 5/5 (Books I loved and will definitely read again)

• Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones (5/5)
• The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones (5/5)
• Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (5/5)
• Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (5/5)
• The Magicians of Caprona by Diana Wynne Jones (5/5)
• Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore (5/5)

Score: 4/5 (Books I liked and might read again)

• Witch’s Business by Diana Wynne Jones (4/5)
• Mixed Magics by Diana Wynne Jones (4/5)
• Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl (4/5)
• The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman (4/5)
• Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones (4/5)
• Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones (4.5/5)
• Soulless by Gail Carriger (4.5/5)

Score: 3/5 (Books that are alright)

• Wild Robert by Diana Wynne Jones (3/5)
• Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman. (3.5/5)
• You Suck: A Love Story by Christopher Moore (3/5)
• Wolf Speaker (The Immortals: 2) by Tamora Pierce (3.5/5)

Score: 2/5 (Books I’ll probably get rid of)

Score: 1/5 (Books I actually hated, or couldn’t finish)

• Blood Lite edited by Kevin J. Anderson

Fun Stats: Over the two combined months, I read 18 books, totaling 4,726 pages, 4,433 pages of which I actually read. 2 of them were anthologies, containing 8 stories I read. 11 were library books. I had 1,399 blog-views. I could not finish 1 book. I participated in Diana Wynne Jones Week, and worked on the Local Library Challenge, and the Short Story Reading Challenge.

The July Roundup

I got back into reading in July. Hooray!

Score: 5/5 (Books I loved and will definitely read again)

• Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs (series: 5/5)
  • Moon Called (5/5)
  • Blood Bound (4/5)
  • Iron Kissed
  • Bone Crossed
  • Silver Borne (5/5)
• The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne (5/5)
• The Immortals Series by Tamora Pierce (5/5)
  • Wild Magic (4/5)
• Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley & Peter Dickinson (5/5)
• Beastly by Alex Flinn (5/5)

Score: 4/5 (Books I liked and might read again)

• My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon edited by P.N. Elrod (4.5/5)
• Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (4/5)

Score: 3/5 (Books that are alright)

• Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland (3.5/5)
• The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (3.5/5)
• Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword & Sorceress XXII (3.5/5)
• Shakespeare’s Storybook by Patrick Ryan & James Mayhew (3.5/5)

Score: 2/5 (Books I’ll probably get rid of) & Score: 1/5 (Books I actually hated, or couldn’t finish)

None, Thank Goodness!

Congratulations again to Daniela for winning a copy of a mystery book, I hope you will enjoy it.

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Fun Stats: this month I read 13 books totaling 3,881 pages. 4 of them were anthologies with 37 stories in them. 9 were library books. I gave away 1 book, and had 856 blog-views.

The June Roundup

June was a strange month. I crashed pretty hard on my reading binge, and am currently at the point where I stare at a book for a while before going “naaah,” and deciding to play Final Fantasy XIII, Fallout 3, or Portal. However, I did read quite a few books, so I’ll list them here, ranked from highest to lowest rating for stand-alones, and by series rating if I’ve finished the series.

Score: 5/5 (Books I loved and will definitely read again)

• The Darcy Cousins by Monica Fairview (5/5)
• 12 Days by June Kim (5/5)
• Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword & Sorceress XXI (5/5)
• Unexpected Magic by Diana Wynne Jones (5/5)

Score: 4/5 (Books I liked and will probably read again)

• Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce (Series: 4.5/5)
  • Alanna: The First Adventure (April 2010, 4/5)
  • In the Hand of the Goddess (May 2010, 4/5)
  • The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (June 2010, 4/5)
  • Lioness Rampant (June 2010, 5/5)
• Otomen 1 by Aya Kanno (4/5)

Score: 3/5 (Books that are alright)

• Hard Day’s Knight by Katie MacAlister (3/5)
• La Petite Four by Regina Scott (3/5)

Score: 2/5 (Books I’ll probably get rid of)

Score: 1/5 (Books I actually hated, or couldn’t finish)

This month I read 8 books, totaling 2,609 pages. 2 of them were anthologies with 39 stories in them. I had 581 blog-views this month.

The May Roundup

Here’s a list of the fun reads from May. They’re organized from highest-rating to lowest-rating for stand-alones and are grouped by series otherwise.

Score: 5/5 (Books I loved and will definitely read again)

• The Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede (5/5)
• The Light Dragons Series by Katie MacAlister (Series: n/a)
  • Love in the Time of Dragons (5/5)
• Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword & Sorceress v.17 (5/5)

Score: 4/5 (Books I liked and will probably read again)

• The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview (4/5)
• The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce (Series: n/a)
  • In the Hand of the Goddess (4/5)
• The Silver Dragons Series by Katie MacAlister (Series: 4/5)
  • Playing with Fire (4/5)
  • Up in Smoke (3.5/5)
  • Me and My Shadow (4.5/5)
• Blow Me Down by Katie MacAlister (4.5/5)
• Improper English by Katie MacAlister (4/5)

Score: 3/5 (Books that are alright)

• The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini (3/5)

Score: 2/5 (Books I’ll probably get rid of)

• Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli (2.5/5)

Score: 1/5 (Books I actually hated, or couldn’t finish)

• None, Thank Goodness!

This month, I read 12 books, totaling 3,803 pages, baked one cake, and had 470 blog-views.

The April Roundup

I’ve rounded up the books I reviewed in April. They’re organized from highest-rating to lowest-rating for stand-alones and are grouped by series otherwise.

Books I loved and will definitely read again, or books that scored a 5 out of 5:

• Hot by Julia Harper
• Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
• The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (Series: 5/5)
  • Dealing with Dragons (5/5)
  • Searching for Dragons (4.5/5)
  • Calling on Dragons (4.5/5)
  • Talking to Dragons (5/5)

Books I liked and will probably read again or, books that scored a 4 out of 5:

• Chalice by Robin McKinley
• Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
• Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones
• Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
• Aisling Grey, Guardian by Katie MacAlister (Series: 4/5)
  • You Slay Me (4/5)
  • Fire Me Up (4/5)
  • Light my Fire (3.5/5)
  • Holy Smokes (4/5)

Books that are alright, or books that scored a 3 out of 5:

• For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
• Austenland by Shannon Hale
• Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep
• The Corset Diaries by Katie MacAlister
• The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli
• Goddess for Hire by Sonia Singh

Books I’ll probably get rid of, or books that scored a 2 out of 5:

• The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
• Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Books I hated, or books that scored a 1 out of 5:

• None, thank goodness

Weird Factoids: I read 22 Books, totaling 6,425 Pages, and had 335 blog-views.