My TBR pile

My to be read pile increased by another two books today and this is why one of my sisters says I can't buy any more books. (I told her I get some for free. Heehee.)

Dianne Wynne Jones: Howl's Moving Castle

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I bought this book. A lot of friends had been praising it and I became curious about it. While I was otherwise occupied reading other books, it sat on my shelf along with my many other TBR books (standing at 117 right now) where I soon forgot it. When I was visiting friends on my trip, a couple of them talked to me about this book. It soon got so I was very eager to read it once I got back. I felt tortured by all the time that had to pass before I would be able to get to it. Happily, I began reading it the day I got home, nevermind the huge events of that weekend.

I loved this book! It went with me everywhere. I was teased for carrying a book in my purse and had to remind people this is what I always do. I was so busy that I'd take it out for hardly a minute before I would have to put it aside, but soon enough I could read for long amounts of time and that's when I could really enjoy it.

There were a few things in this book I thought I saw coming though it also held surprises. From page one, it's let on to the reader as though the first born child in a family never stands a chance and that the chance at happiness and a successful life come strongest to the child who is the last born. I wasn't quite sure if this was simply Sophie's belief, or a general opinion where the book takes place. Either way, I was upset for Sophie, the first born of three daughters, for not seeing that she could have more. She seemed happy enough with her small life, however, and probably would have kept living that way. Except! I won't give spoilers, but clearly a book has to change. Joseph Campbell says there is always the call to adventure, be it forced or otherwise. I was very happy with the ending and would read this book again. I want to continue the series and am going to just as soon as I can manage to get copies of the other books. I can't wait to read them!

(No counter because I have six more books to write about that I've read since this one. I'm getting one entry done a day, though the next four will be grouped in one entry.)

Reading on Vacation

As I kept in mind how much I would have to catch up on here, I avoided coming here despite how long it's been since I came back home. The plan had been to enter all the books I read during my trip in one post, which I am doing now.

First up, C.S. Lewis's Prince Caspian. Can you guess what movie I went to go see while away from home? One guess is all you'll get.

I dug myself into Scott Westerfield's Uglies series while I had the chance while a couple of the books were available to me. These were the second and third books in the series, Pretties and Specials. I did not find these books all that special. Rather, I liked the first one a great amount more. There's still another in the series I've as of yet to read. Having gone this far in the series, I suppose I'll read it. The books have lost the meaning and messages that I had at first thought mean to much, however. I expect not much pleasure in whatever books come to follow.

Next, a map in the form of a book. I'm serious about this, though. If you're ever wandering around Manhattan, NY as a visitor or tourist, Michael Middleditch's The New York Mapguide, 5th edition really helped me out! I'd have been lost without it, and I really was.

More of Rachel Caine's vampire series. I read book three, Midnight Alley and hoped to pick up the latest, Feast of Fools, but never got the chance to read that one. Another time.

Kleenex time! This next book wasn't like the others. It was very deep and touching. Ginny Rorby's Hurt Go Happy was truely amazing and well written. It brought back some very painful memories to me but it takes a really good book to have someone cry as much as I did when I read it. I'm afraid I can't say much as to the tears without spoiling. I'm definitely going to pick up my own copy someday.

Sort of last but not quite least, Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely. I then jumped into her sequel, Ink Exchange, but time ran out on me. Rather than spending the last day of my trip on a book, I closed it for when I will read it over and finish it someday.

That's it for six weeks of vacation time.

A Knack for Titles

What do I do when feeling bored when I should actually be reading? (By now, I should be sleeping.)

I know someone with a marvelous gift to link the name of an actor to another using only the names of five other actors or actresses. Actually, I probably know a few people who can do this rather well. My point is, while some people have a knack for movies and famous people, this is how I pass time . . .

Before the glorious days of LT, I would sit down and think of as many titles of books that I own as I possibly could whose titles link them to one another. I took to writing them down, but those lists have long ago been thrown out: why do this when I have my addiction to LT to fill my time? Or when I have a TBR pile that should have fallen on me a long time ago?

The answer is, because LibraryThing goes down! (Also, my TBR pile isn't stacked, or else it would fall on me.)

Below is a basic example. I will not provide authors to any of the books I will mention below, as it's late enough as it is. (Remember, I said I should be sleeping.)

Fitcher's Brides -> The Princess Bride -> The Constant Princess

See how I went from linking the word 'bride' to linking the word 'princess'?

I really enjoy doing this and would very much enjoy sharing every link of book titles I came up with tonight, but must not get carried away. I'll stick with the ones with the most books if I can manage it.

Sixteen Book Titles:
Where Are the Children? -> Where the Heart Is -> Black Heart, Ivory Bones -> Black Thorn, White Rose -> Blood is the New Black -> Blue Bloods -> The Blue Girl -> The Onion Girl -> The Other Boleyn Girl -> Little (Grrl) Lost -> Lost in Austen -> Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict -> Lost -> Lost in a Good Book -> The Book Thief -> The Lightening Thief

Fourteen Book Titles:
The Bean Trees -> The Summer Tree -> Tapping the Dream Tree -> A Midsummer Nights’ Dream -> Animal Dreams -> The Dreaming Place -> Dreams Underfoot -> Memory and Dream -> The Memory of Running -> The Memory Keeper’s Daughter -> Daughter of the Forest -> Forests of the Heart -> Inkheart -> Inkspell

Twelve Book Titles:
Where Are the Children? -> Where the Heart Is -> Black Heart, Ivory Bones -> Black Thorn, White Rose -> Blood is the New Black -> Blue Bloods -> Snow White, Blood Red -> The Maid of the White Hands -> White as Snow -> Light on Snow -> Snow Falling on Cedars -> Falling Angels

Eleven Book Titles:
Where Are the Children? -> Where the Heart Is -> Black Heart, Ivory Bones -> Black Thorn, White Rose -> Blood is the New Black -> Blue Bloods -> The Blue Girl -> Blue is for Nightmares -> Fly by Night -> Twelfth Night -> Silent Night

Ten Book Titles:
Where Are the Children? -> Where the Heart Is -> Black Heart, Ivory Bones -> Black Thorn, White Rose -> Blood is the New Black -> Blue Bloods -> The Blue Girl -> Blue is for Nightmares -> The Bluest Eye -> The Golem's Eye


I really should italicise all of those books...but I'm way to sleepy.

I think this would be really fun to play on LT, now that I think about it. I'll have to start a thread after work tomorrow. There, the possibilities will be endless.

Stephenie Meyer: The Host

At long last this eagerly awaited for book was released. It's not part of the Twilight series but something new that's not a YA book.

I had a really tough time getting into it because of only having five or ten minutes to read here and there due to a busy work week. Once I had more time to read the book in one sitting, I enjoyed it immensely. It was hard to put down though I had little choice. I ended up staying up very late into two nights reading, the only time there was in my busy schedule to read.

From the beginning it is obvious that there is not merely one main character but two lives that are very much a part of this book. One is Wanderer, a soul and alien. The other is Melanie Stryder, a human whose body is used as a host. Through Melanie's memories, two other characters are drawn in and become of importance to both souls within Melanie's body.

You can feel Wanderer and Melanie's relationship as well as their anger, pain, and sorrow. Swept in their thoughts and emotions, you, too, both smile hugely in a grin and are brought to tears.

There's so much more I'd like to say about it, but I could ramble on forever and cause some major spoiling. All in all, an excellent book!

Stephenie Meyer: Twilight

I'm a little slow posting a couple of books I recently read but here they are at last.

I had not meant to reread this series till July right before the release of Breaking Dawn. However, others were talking about it so much and having ever so much fun referring to it as the book that I couldn't resist reading it again as well.

I tried to read it more critically and to try to see the view as I read the book as others I knew who were reading it for the first time may view the story, however it was difficult to not be simply delighted to read this book again. There are differences of opinion revolving around this series but such is to be expected woth any book.

Having reread this one, I want to complete a reread of the entire series. I'm planning on digging into the second book, New Moon soon.