Novel novels: October 2010

1. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

• 4 stars

2. A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

• 3.5 stars

3. A Series of Unfortunate Events, books the fifth, seventh and ninth by Lemony Snicket

• 4.5 stars

4. Johannes Cabal, the Necromancer by Jonathan Howard

• 3 stars

5. The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, books I through IV by Heather Brewer

• 2.5 stars

6. Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder

• 4 stars

7. Queen of Candescence by Karl Schroeder

• 3.5 stars

8. The Unincorporated Man by Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin

• 3.5 stars

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: September 2010

1. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

• 3.5 stars

2. The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

• 3.5 stars

3. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin

• 4 stars

4. Prospero Lost by L. Jagi Lamplighter

• 4.5 stars

5. Wicked by Gregory Maguire

• 4.5 stars

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: August 2010

1. Waifs and Strays by Charles de Lint

• 4 stars

2. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

• 3.5 stars

3. Pellinor series by Alison Croggon

• 4 stars

4. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

• 3.5 stars

5. Seed to Harvest by Octavia Butler

• 4 stars

6. Push by Sapphire

• 3 stars

7. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

• 3.5 stars

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: July 2010

1. Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

• 3.5 stars

2. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

• 3 stars

3. The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland

• 3.5 stars

4. Spirits that Walk in Shadow by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

• 3.5 stars

5. Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

• 3.5 stars

6. Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint

• 3 stars

7. Sword of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson

• 4.5 stars

8. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

• 3.5 stars
• This book struck me as being a lot like Un Lun Dun, except not as good.

9. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman

• 3.5 stars

10. Love the One You're With by Annabelle Vestry

• 2.5 stars

11. Burger Wuss by M.T. Anderson

• 2 stars

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: June 2010

1. The Astonishing Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

• 3 stars

2. Breath by Donna Jo Napoli

• 2.5 stars

3. A Fistful of Sky by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

• 4.5 stars

4. The Shape of Water by Anne Spollen

• 3.5 stars

5. The Full Spectrum, edited by David Levithan and Billy Merrell

• 2.5 stars

6. The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb

• 2.5 stars

7. Un Lun Dun by China Miéville

• 4 stars

8. Elom by William Drinkard

• 3 stars

9. In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

• 4.5 stars

10. If They Give You Lined Paper, Write Sideways by Daniel Quinn

• 4 stars

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: May 2010

Um. May was a busy month, but I hadn't realized until now how little I'd read during it. Jaysus.

1. Unclutter Your Life in One Week! by Erin Rooney Doland

• 4 stars
• The fairly high rating here is due, I'm sure, to that responsible-adult feeling one gets after reading a responsible-adult-themed self-help book.

2. The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook by John Barricelli

• 3 stars

3. Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley

• 3.5 stars

4. Anathem by Neal Stephenson

• 4 stars
• Oh, look, a Neal Stephenson book I actually managed to finish! This is the first book I'd been able to check out in our new city (with a temporary card, which I could only use to check out two books at a time), which probably has something to do with the dedication I was able to exhibit.

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: April 2010

1. Muse and Reverie by Charles de Lint

• 3 stars

2. The Collected Stories of Colette

• 4 stars

3. Myst (trilogy) by Rand and Robyn Miller

• 2.5 stars

4. The Folk of the Fringe by Orson Scott Card

• 2.5 stars

5. Miss Manners' Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding by Judith Martin, Jacobina Martin

• 3 stars
• There's a special place in my heart for Miss Manners, who has managed to hit that special brand of diplomatic sarcasm thrice weekly for the past 33 years. Amazing.

6. Something to Declare, edited by Gillian Kendall

• 3.5 stars

7. All My Sins Remembered by Joe Haldeman

• 3 stars

8. How Much for Just the Planet? by John M. Ford

• 4.5 stars
• One of my friends (who was a friend of the author) gives copies of this book out routinely to visitors. High-larious.

Scoring system is as follows:

1 star = hated

1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate

2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly

2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat

3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again

3.5 stars = would probably read again

4 stars = would like to own a copy

4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally

5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

Novel novels: March 2010

Note: I'm starting to write this series multiple months after I've finished reading the books, so in most cases I don't remember a whole lot. I'll include stuff I remember, including trigger warnings, but I'm not going to remember everything. I hope to rectify this when I catch up and am writing about stuff I just got done reading.

1. Storm Front by Jim Butcher

• 3 stars
• Amusing, most of all for the protagonist's resemblance to the friend who recommended this series to me

2. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

• 2.5 stars

3. Man Walks into a Room by Nicole Krauss

• 3 stars

4. Come Along With Me by Shirley Jackson

• 3 stars
• Worth reading for the classic short story "The Lottery"

5. The Belgariad by David Eddings

• 3 stars
• Five-book series. Fairly enjoyable at the start, but after a while I got kind of tired of the "lowly Hero finds out He's actually Really Important and also there's a Prophecy about him, gathers a motley band of Followers, becomes some sort of leader/general/king person and doesn't believe in the Prophecy at all but end up following/fulfilling it anyway" thing. I did like many of the characters. I also started reading The Mallorean, but quit partway through.

6. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

• 4 stars
• I liked the humour of this autobiographical graphic novel quite a bit. I usually don't enjoy graphic novels because I tend to just read the words and skip the pictures, but Bechdel's images managed to grab my attention well.

7. A Lifetime of Secrets by Frank Warren

• 3 stars
• A PostSecret book. Not much else to say.

8. Perfect by Natasha Friend

• 2.5 stars
• Basic adolescent-girl-struggling-with-eating-disorder book. Trigger warning, obviously.

9. The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer

• 3.5 stars
• I love Nancy Farmer's books and I love Norse mythology. So why did I not absolutely love this book? I really can't remember. It's probably because it wasn't as good as the first book of the series, The Sea of Trolls.

10. The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint

• 3.5 stars
• Charles de Lint is another favourite author and every so often I go on a de Lint kick and emerge three or four books later with a rather glazed expression and seeing fey folk everywhere. I prefer his short story collections, but this young adult book was enjoyable.

11. Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves

• 3 stars
• I liked the travelling-between-permutations-of-possible-worlds storyline. I think I was a bit disappointed by the speeding up of the plot at the end.

12. Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat

• 2.5 stars

14. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

• 2.5 stars
• After finishing this, I think I finished with Butcher, unless I happen to start hankering for semi-juvenile fantasy dripping with machismo.

Scoring system is as follows:
1 star = hated
1.5 stars = didn't enjoy, but didn't hate
2 stars = didn't enjoy particularly
2.5 stars = enjoyed somewhat
3 stars = enjoyed, but might not read again
3.5 stars = would probably read again
4 stars = would like to own a copy
4.5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read occasionally
5 stars = would like to own a copy, and would probably read often

(totally not related to new year's) resolutions

I'm not really much for new year's resolutions, mostly because I don't like setting myself up to feel guilty. I feel guilty about silly things enough of the time that I don't like setting myself up for more. I also think it's kind of silly (for me) to use one-and-only-one day per year to set goals.

However (*laughs*) I've spent most of my day making lists of goals. I keep stubbornly telling myself that it's totally not because it's new year's, it just happens to be new year's when I do this. I'm probably not fooling anyone, but I keep insisting.

I enjoy making lists, in general. Not for the 'pleasure of crossing things off the list,' as I've heard is the reason many people like to make lists. No, I like to make lists because I have an fairly useless memory when it comes to things I'd like to remember to do (mind like a steel sieve, we say).

The keys to this resolution list are specitivity (as opposed to my life goals or conceptual resolutions) and positivity. It's a lot easier for me to follow something like a "walk the dog at least once per day" resolution than it is to follow a "see my family more" or "don't eat fast food" goal.

Without further ado, and in no particular order:

1. read at least two non-fiction books per month

Five of the last nine books I've read have been young adult paranormal romance novels. This shit has got to stop.

2. read at least one book per month about a subject or in a genre I've never read before

One of my only goals of the past year was to read only books I'd never read before, which exposed me to many new authors, but I ended up reading a lot of science fiction, fantasy and young adult. I'd like to expand even more this year.

3. write at least one blog post per week

Not really for the purposes of sharing with the world, but because a blog is a convenient place to keep things I've written and be able to find them later.

4. write at least one paper letter per week

Covering the dual goals of doing a better job of keeping in touch with people and cultivating a sense of physical correspondence. I tried to do the 'keeping in touch with people through letters' thing before, but it never really got off the ground, sadly. And now people's addresses have probably changed since the last time they gave them to me.

5. write at least one philosophical essay-type blog post per month

To keep up my mad philosophising skills.

6. spend at least 15 minutes per day on metaphysical exercise

This will probably be mostly meditation at first.

7. spend at least 15 minutes per day on writing exercise

Poetry or fictional prose. This is the kind of thing I don't blog about or even really share with anyone (anymore) but is still a skill I'd like to (re-)cultivate.

8. spend at least one hour per week on academic-type study

Current plans include brushing up on Latin and maths.

9. at least three times per week, spend a half-hour doing physical exercise

The challenge here is going to be finding things to do when I'm limited by the weather and by my back thingie. I actually really, really enjoy going to the gym, but I can't afford a membership right now.

10. try at least one new recipe/food-making activity per week

Cheese! Yogurt! Kefir! Different Meads! Different breads! Not desserts!

11. spend at least one hour per week searching for a new job

Pretty self-explanatory.

(cross-posted)