What a better time to start blogging than halfway through my reading challenge? I like to mull things over for about 5 months and then act on them when inspiration and motivation finally strike. It can take time, obviously.
My reading goal for the year was set at 150 books. Based on past reading goals, 100 was too low and 200 was a tough reach (but I did it!). As we are approaching the mid-year mark, I’m pretty pleased with my success – 62 books so far. Again, pretty close to half! Here is the breakdown:
6 Graphic Novels
15 Adult Books (3 of which are NF)
4 Children’s Chapter Books
32 Young Adult Novels
(18 books were listened to on audio)
Favorite so far: Okay I’m going to cheat on this and break it up between adult and YA, so I don’t have to choose between my top two.
Adult: The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern – I realize I’m a couple of years behind the rest of the world, but whatever. The story was mesmerizing and magical and I didn’t want it to end. The story of the dueling magicians and the enchanted circus drew me in and made me want to become part of the circus as well.
Young Adult: Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman – The only time I love being wrong is when it’s about a book. I put off this book because the premise is a girl who is half-human/half-dragon and I’m not into dragons and assumed I wouldn’t like it. When it came up on the nominating block for RITBA (Rhode Island Teen Book Awards) I gave it a try, and I couldn’t tear myself away! Seraphina (our half-human/half-dragon friend) is the music mistress to a princess in a society that fears dragons yet must maintain peace with them. Add in mysterious murders, political intrigue, and a handsome prince along with stellar writing and you’ve got a winner Ms.Hartman. Wait for Feb. 2014 for the sequel? You must be kidding.
So here we go through the rest of the year. Plowing through the remaining 88 books and hopefully a few more. There are several sequels or series conclusions coming up that will make the second half of the year very exciting, indeed!
Here is what I’m most looking forward to:
MaddAddam, by Margaret Atwood – The first two novels are fascinating yet horrifying imaginings of the future. The world is run by corporations and what was normal has become synthetically engineered. Society is increasingly split and divided, and the first two books follow characters inside the safety of the corporation walls and inside a religious group (cult?) that has sprung up in opposition to much of society. At the close of the second novel, many characters and events had woven together, but I was still left on the edge of my seat wanting more.
The Final Descent, by Rick Yancey – I have love, love, loved the Monstrumologist book with a passion. They are gory, scary and gripping. The series is unique, well written and well executed. I never see the twists coming and where they lead, and that’s just how I like it.
United We Spy, by Ally Carter – Another final novel in a series that I have loved. The Gallagher Girls have gotten into increasingly complex and high stakes scenarios, and the last novel left off at quite the cliffhanger — again! As much as I am dying to know what happens, saying goodbye to Cammie, Zack and the rest of the gals will be hard to do.
Backbends and Bookends 