It's Monday... What are you reading? (7)

"It's Monday... What are you reading?" is hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

So here's what I'm reading, and what I've read - November catch up edition!
I'm Currently Reading:
The Waste Lands by Stephen King - This is the third book in his Dark Tower series, which I'm currently reading for December with two different groups on Goodreads, one public and one private. This time around, for re-read number 1934872759, I'm listening to the audio, read by Frank Muller. It took me a while to get used to his reading style (all of The Gunslinger -unrevised edition- and a good bit into The Drawing of the Three), but now I'm really enjoying it and highly recommend it!

For November, I've read:
Heidegger's Glasses by Thaisa Frank
Changeless by Gail Carriger
The Drawing of the Three (Dark Tower book 2) by Stephen King (Audio read by Frank Muller)
Blameless by Gail Carriger
The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan (Audio read by Nathan Lowell)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Audio read by Roses Prichard)
I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert (Audio read by Colbert & cast)
The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor - ARC (review to come!)
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens - ARC (review to come!)
Darkfall by Dean Koontz
The Stand: Captain Trips (Graphic novel) by Stephen King and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
The Stand: American Nightmares (Graphic novel) by Stephen King and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

Whew! That's a good amount of reading (and listening!) done in one month. My goal for the year is to hit 126 books read. Including The Waste Lands, I should make this, as December is going to be strictly fantasy with the following line up:

December Goals:
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Yep - I'm reading these again! US editions this time.)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and theDeathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Another full month ahead of me - 11 books, and a total of 6940 pages. But I have a feeling that I will love ALL of them. :) Wish me luck!

IMM (6) & What Are you Reading?

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

I don't really have anything witty (or even semi-witty) to say here, so let's just get to it, eh? Here's what I acquired this week:

 Lords & Ladies by Terry Pratchett

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell

Looking for Alaska by John Green

The Hobbit (Graphic Novel) by J.R.R. Tolkien & David Wenzel

and a whole bunch of other Tolkien books (not pictured)

All of these were purchased by me, except the Tolkien books, which were given to me. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them, honestly. A friend is moving and he gave these to me, because he knows I'm a Tolkien fan. But the thing is, I love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and even liked The Silmarillion, but I'm not such a fan of the lays and tales and lore etc. So I'll probably be donating them. (Or let me know if you're interested in them, we can work something out!) I'll need to go through them first though - some are in pretty rough shape. :(

As for what I've read, I've had a pretty OK week, I guess. I've read 6 books - the majority of that being yesterday for the Read-a-thon. 

Read: 

To Die For by Linda Howard

The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by A.R. Shickman

UR by Stephen King

Holes by Louis Sachar

Currently Reading: 

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Everything's Eventual by Stephen King

To Read: 

The Gunslinger by Stephen King (audio)

Hell House by Richard Matheson

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Blameless by Gail Carriger

The Stand: Captain Trips by Stephen King (graphic novel)

The Stand: American Nightmares by Stephen King (graphic novel)

...and/or whatever else catches my eye!

IMM (5) & What are you Reading?

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

Whew! I haven't done an IMM post in a while, since I decided that last month I was going to read what I already owned (with the small exception of the books I read for Smut-tember). I did pretty good, and knocked out 12 books, KA-POW!

So of course, I just had to go and undo all of that effort with a splurge at the goodwill. When books are more than 80% off of the marked price, it's just hard to say no! So here's my splurge:
 

From top left: 

Many Bloody Returns by Charlaine Harris and others

A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd

Mister Monday by Garth Nix

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Legends by Robert Silverberg (editor) 

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

and A Treasury of Aesop's Fables (not pictured)

Yep, I bought The Pilgrim's Progress. I've wanted to read it for quite a while, since it was mentioned in Little Women, and for 20 cents, I practically got it for free. Oh, and here's a funny quirk about the Siobhan Dowd book. This is the barcode from the back of the book...

Allison from The Allure of Books sent me these: 

Stories by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio (editors)

Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli

And finally I got To Die For by Linda Howard from the library. I couldn't get a decent picture of this one, so we'll all just have to use our imaginations! (Well, not me, because I've seen it, but you're not missing much. The cover of the edition I got isn't all that impressive.)

So that's what I got in my mailbox... Now here's what I'm reading: 

A group of friends and I, along with the Stephen King fan group on Goodreads (the one I co-moderate), will be reading through the Dark Tower series starting this month with The Gunslinger. As you can see from the picture, I have two of them, the original published edition, and the revised. I'd like to read both, and do some comparisons for those of you I know are just DYING to know what the differences are. ;)

Along with the series itself, I'm currently reading Everything's Eventual by King, which has two Dark Tower related stories in it, as well as I plan on finally reading the first volume of Robin Furth's Dark Tower Concordance (which comprises books 1-4).

I'll be trying to squeeze in some review books as well, but I'm not sure which ones yet. I'm thinking probably The King's Mistress and Keep The Change, and if I can do more, I will. 

Happy October Reading!

IMM (3) & What Are You Reading?... And what SHOULD I read??

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme hosted over at The Story Siren in which we can share the books that we've acquired that week. :)

"What are you Reading?" is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila from BookJourney where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will desist with all the fluff and just show what I got! :D

ARCs and For Review books:
This week I received quite a few ARCs and review copies, at least for me!
In the mail came:
The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch
Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure & Zan-Gah And The Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman
and Blind Man's Alley by Justin Peacock

Bought:
A while back I bought Changeless, which is the sequel to Gail Carriger's Soulless (as if you didn't know). Can't wait for Blameless, too!

Upcoming this week:

I'm Currently Reading:
The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch

What I plan to read:
Ahh, well see, this is tricky!! I'm going on vacation to San Francisco for my brother's wedding starting Wendnesday... My mom has all sorts of activities planned for us to do, but the only one that is set in stone is an Alcatraz tour for Thursday. And since The Boy is staying home, I'll hopefully have lots of reading time! (Does that make me a terrible girlfriend?) Anyway, Wednesday should be a good reading day, since I have a 2 hour drive to The Airport Of The Cheapest Flights (and I'm not driving), and then a 8 hour flight, and then another hour long commute to the hotel.

Ahhh... blissful reading time.

Ahem. Excuse me. I was having a moment. *wipes daydream drool* So, right. What to bring! I have no idea. I am about 94.5% certain that I'll be reading The Passage by Justin Cronin on the outbound journey, even though it's a brick. What's better than than a great book to just lose yourself in for a day? And aren't bricks what tray tables were designed for??

Other than that, I have no idea... Maybe something light and fun like Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella? Or mindless? The Rising by Brian Keene or anything by Dean Koontz for that matter? Should I go with a fast-paced legal thriller and read Grisham? Or go with an old stand-by and take a King with me? (Oh, who am I kidding, I'll be bringing King. He's like my AmEx: I don't leave home without him.)

Suggestions welcome! I don't want to buy anything new, or bring a library book. I'm open to any suggestions of books that can be found on my Owned-Unread Goodreads Shelf. Leave me comments with what you think I should read and why! :D

So anywho... That's what I got In My Mailbox and What I'm reading this week... What about you? :)

In My Mailbox (2) & What are you Reading?

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly meme hosted over at The Story Siren in which we can share the books that we've acquired that week with the world -- or at least the little piece of it that reads my blog. :)

"What are you Reading?" is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila from BookJourney where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Alrighty... My boyfriend has got the camera today, so I can't take any book photos myself (at least not any decent ones, and the camera in my phone is horrid), so we'll be using images from the 'net today.Sorry, no Alfie or Indica cat-pics today. Oh, also...You might notice a little bit of a pattern this week regarding the books that I got. I noticed it last night and had a little bit of a chuckle over it. Let's see, shall we?

Bought:

First up, we have As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann.
Description: Torn in two by a vicious civil war, seventeenth-century England was the scene of extraordinary violence. Among the soldiers traveling the country from one deadly battle to another is Jacob Cullen, a former servant who dreams of baptizing himself with the blood of battle into a new life after the war. Only his brewing erotic obsession with a fellow fighter threatens his plans. (From Goodreads)

I bought this one at my library's booksale. It's the only one that really caught my eye and said "BUY ME!!", and so I made it out surprisingly easily with one book for $1. I'm proud of myself!

Library Books:

Next, we have The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn.
Description: With a modest inheritance and the three gowns that comprise her entire wardrobe, Theodora leaves Edinburgh — and a disappointed suitor — far behind. She is bound for Roumania, where tales of vampires are still whispered, to visit an old friend and write the book that will bring her true independence.
She arrives at a magnificent, decaying castle in the Carpathians replete with eccentric inhabitants: the ailing dowager; the troubled steward; her own fearful friend, Cosmina. But all are outstripped in dark glamour by the castle's master, Count Andrei Dragulescu.
Bewildering and bewitching in equal measure, the brooding nobleman ignites Theodora's imagination and awakens passions in her that she can neither deny nor conceal. His allure is superlative, his dominion over the superstitious town, absolute — Theodora may simply be one more person under his sway.
Before her sojourn is ended — or her novel completed — Theodora will have encountered things as strange and terrible as they are seductive. For obsession can prove fatal...and she is in danger of falling prey to more than desire. (From Goodreads)

This was something of a whim, as Allison over at The Allure of Books keeps raving about Raybourne's series (the Lady Grey series) and I want to try it, but I couldn't remember anything about the series while I was at the library, of course, so I got this instead. We shall see! :)


I also got Naked In Death by J.D. Robb
Description: It is the year 2058, and technology now completely rules the world. But New York City Detective Eve Dallas knows that the irresistible impulses of the human heart are still ruled by just one thing-passion.

When a senator's daughter is killed, the secret life of prostitution she'd been leading is revealed. The high-profile case takes Lieutenant Eve Dallas into the rarefied circles of Washing-ton politics and society. Further complicating matters is Eve's growing attraction to Roarke, who is one of the wealthiest and most influential men on the planet, devilishly handsome . . . and the leading suspect in the investigation... (From Goodreads)

This was another recommendation from Allison. She persuaded me to read this one, so I read it last night and really enjoyed it. Steamy and entertaining and fast-paced. Really enjoyable. :)

So, as for what I read this week:

I mentioned that I read Naked In Death by J.D. Robb... Look for my review on Monday!
Also I read Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden... Look for my review on Tuesday!
And Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen for Jane in June. View my review!
I also read a secret book in order to make a bookmark inspired by it... As people who are participating in the bookmark swap also follow my blog, I can't mention the book... but I will say to look for a review of it at a later date. Oooh, don't you just LOVE a mystery?? ;)

Upcoming this week:

I plan to read:
Airman by Eoin Colfer
Sold by Patricia McCormick
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (These three are part of the giveaways that I'm hosting!)
The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn
and The Passage by Justin Cronin (if I have time).

I've had a long standing arrangement with Fiona over at The Book Coop that we'd re-read the Harry Potter series in July, and I hope to be able to do that. But things are a little complicated, because I'll be flying out to San Francisco on July 14th for my brother's wedding, and so my reading plans will probably have to take a backseat to that... *sigh*

So anywho... That's what I got In My Mailbox and What I'm reading this week... What about you? :)

It's Monday... What are you reading? (3)

As seen on Book Journey. In Sheila's words:

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Just a quick post before bed... Formatting isn't being my friend, so I apologize, but I'm not really up to fiddling with it all night long. Boo!! >:(

I'm Currently Reading...

Star Wars: Tales of the Mos Eisley Cantina

Still working on this one... although it would help if I actually picked it up now and then. *sigh*




Black House
And still working on this one, and I also haven't picked it up in a while. Shame, shame! But it IS a re-read for me, so I guess it's forgivable, right?



And I've just started...


 The Beekeeper's Apprentice

I've just started this one today... I've read about 15 pages and it's quite good, but different than I expected. We'll see where this one goes! :)



Last week I finished...


The Poison Diaries
Very nicely written YA story... I wished for a little bit more from the ending though.




The Curse of the Pharaohs (Amelia Peabody #2)
This was a fun mystery, but the writing seemed... not up to the standards of the first book. :(

It's Monday... What are you reading? (2)

As seen on Book Journey. In Sheila's words:

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

So here's what I'm "Currently Reading":

Description:
Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody Emerson does not relish the joys of home and hearth. For while she and her husband, the renowned archaeologist Radcliffe Emerson, dutifully go about raising their young son, Ramses, Amelia dreams only of the dust and detritus of ancient civilizations. Providentially, a damsel in distress -- coupled with a promising archaeological site -- demands their immediate presence in Egypt. The damsel is Lady Baskerville, and the site is a tomb in Luxor recently discovered by Sir Henry Baskerville, who promptly died under bizarre circumstances. Amelia and Radcliffe arrive to find the camp in disarray, terrified workers, an eccentric group of guests...and a persistent rumor of a ghost on the grounds. Now the indomitable Amelia must battle evil forces determined to stand between her and her beloved antiquities and make her foray into the truth a most deadly affair...

This is the 2nd book in the Amelia Peabody series, and so far, I'm enjoying it immensely. Amelia is so unpredictable and strong and brilliant. She pulls absolutely ZERO punches, and has a fantastic dry sense of humor and razor sharp wit. I love her, and Emerson, and I must say that 65 pages in, little Ramses is edging his way to center stage too. This family just knows who they are, and there's no pretension. I love it, and I can't wait to see where it goes. :D

The other two books haven't changed, unfortunately! Still nominally "reading" Black House and Star Wars: Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina. Maybe I'll pencil in some time this week to squeeze in more of those.

Upcoming this week, I hope to read...

Description: In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees in Sussex when a young woman literally stumbles into his lap on the Sussex downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern twentieth-century woman proves a deft protégée, and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective. This first book of the Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes mysteries is full of brilliant deduction, disguises, and danger.

This book has been recommended to me by... oh, at least 5 different people, so I figured that it was about time that I got around to reading it. Plus, I've had it out from the library for about a month now, and keep renewing it! Eeek! I hope that it's as good as everyone claims! :D

I think that's it for this week, with the two historical fiction books, Black House and maybe a short story or two from Mos Eisley, I think that should be enough to be getting on with! :P

See ya next Monday!

It's Monday... What are you reading?

As seen on Book Journey. In Sheila's words:

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

So here's what I'm reading:

Currently Reading/To Read This Week:

I've actually been reading this one for a while. It has just been sitting on my "Currently Reading" shelf (both literally and at Goodreads) forever. I need to pick it up again soon!
I love reading short stories in between longer stories. They are something of a palate cleanser, so to speak, but just lately I haven't really been in the mood for science fiction. (Maybe tomorrow! :P)

This is a re-read for me to follow up The Talisman from last week's reading. I really and truly love these stories, and Black House is much, much darker and more adult and grittier than The Talisman. (Plus, I just love adult Jack Sawyer!)
I set this one down the other day due to some extenuating circumstances, but hope to squeeze it in soon.


I just started this one yesterday, and it's pretty interesting already. Pretty funny and light and fun. :)







Read Last Week

I love this book. I've read it... I don't know how many times. Definitely a favorite. I'll post a review here soon! :)






I listened to this one on audio, and while the story was good, the reader definitely was not. If you pick this one up, get the deadtree version and do your own voices. Look for a review to come!




I recognize that this is a classic, but I'd expected much more than this one delivered. It was good, but I'd hoped to be moved much more than I was. Look for my review to come.