Category: Reading Roundups

Reading Roundup: November 2012

The Fault in Our Stars John Green

All I Want For Christmas?

Am I allowed to do a round up post when I’ve obtained and read zero books this month? I do need a way to publish my Christmas wish list for certain secret Santas, so I’m going to say, “yes!”

Books Obtained and Read

  • None. That was easy.
  • Okay, I did read like 350 or 400 pages of Infinite Jest over November. That’s pretty much a book.

Books I Want to Read

Here are the top ten books I’d like to own in the near future, i.e. Christmas!*

  1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – I want this to be my next read, so it’s first on my list. Have I mentioned that I have a fangirlish crush on this guy? I mean watch this. Or this. Love him.
  2. 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2012 Edition) – I own the original, but I’d love to have the updated version. These are beautiful books with lots of colour pictures. Great gift idea for anyone bookish!
  3. Strange Heaven by Lynn Coady – my local author pick, and sounds right up my alley in terms of troubled kids, family dysfunction and the East Coast setting.
  4. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck – I don’t own this book, which is ridiculous considering it’s my favourite read of like the past two years (pending completion of IJ).
  5. Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards – I gave my copy away at a book swap. I need to own this book.
  6. Dear Life by Alice Munro – After a year of long reads, I think I’ll be in the mood for some short stories. Nobody does it better than Alice Munro… unless…
  7. Astray by Emma Donoghue – I’m a huge fan of Emma Donoghue and she released a short story collection this year.
  8. The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir – Because: feminism.
  9. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell – I’m going to read more classics written by female authors next year. I loved the mini-series, so this seems like a good place to start.
  10. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman – Something about this book keeps nagging at me. Strange title.

*I’ve been joking that reading Sleeping Beauty made me want to read 50 Shades. If someone buys it for me, I will read it. But I reserve the right to make snarky blog posts/live-tweet my disgust/roll my eyes with abandon!

The Month Ahead

  • Finish Infinite Jest. There will be much rejoicing.
  • Submit a story to The 40 Below Project. This is a stretch goal for me and my first time submitting anything! Check out the website and wish me luck! I’m (trying) to write about what it’s like to experience a sudden 20 degree drop in temperature. Also about teenage drama (what else?)
  • Get through the week-long extravaganza that is Benjamin’s 3rd birthday and Christmas.

Search Terms

Just for fun, here are some interesting search terms that have landed on the blog.

  • “erotic exerpts from the claiming of sleeping beauty anne rice” – yeah… getting a lot of these since my review went up…
  • “adult words with friends” – um, do I want to know?
  • “i enjoyed reading heart of darkness” – well, that makes two of us!
  • “runny romantic letters for him” – it is the season for runny letters!
  • “how you know you are a book snob” – if you have to ask….
  • “invisible woman sex fanfic” – sorry to disappoint you.

Reading Roundup: October 2012

Wuthering Heights Penguin Deluxe Edition

Oh Heathcliff. Pop that collar.

A slow month, but a few things to remark on:

Books Obtained

  • Wuthering Heights, Penguin Deluxe Edition. I gave away my copy, so I needed a new one. I’m trying to collect nice copies of my favourite books. So far, I have a hardcover Love in the Time of Cholera and this paperback Wuthering Heights. Next might be Grapes of Wrath. I had so much fun following the readalong that I want to flip through it again!

Books Actually Read

  • The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice. If I get it together and write a real review of this book, I might guest post it on Reading in Winter (After Dark), which you should definitely check out in the meantime if you enjoy a steamy read now and then. But this book. Wow. I knew it was erotica but I guess I didn’t expect to be bombarded with penetrative, non-consensual sex with a minor on PAGE TWO. And that was the LEAST risque scene in the book.

Books I Want to Obtain

The Month Ahead

  • Keep plugging away at Infinite Jest. I’m nearing the 25% mark!
  • SEE ANNA KARENINA. AM A LITTLE EXCITED. Paraphrasing a tweet I saw somewhere: How pissed is Jude Law that they didn’t make this movie ten years ago so he could play Vronsky? I’m pretty meh on Keira playing Anna, too. I saw the original 1935 movie with Greta Garbo and that’s a hard act to follow. But NO MATTER because COSTUMES and DRAMA and DOOMED LOVERS and EXCELLENT HATS.
Greta Garbo as Anna Karenina

Greta Garbo is not amused by the casting of the new Anna Karenina.

Reading Roundup: September 2012

Who knew I could do enough book and bloggy things in one month to warrant an update?

September was a challenging month. Henry went through pink eye, thrush, teething, and colds. He still doesn’t sleep at night. Or ever. But, I feel like I’m getting back into a groove. My commitment to read every day helps a lot. There were a few days where it didn’t happen, but usually, if I tell myself “just one sentence,” I’ll end up reading a few pages. I may never be as prolific a reader and blogger as most, but this feels good.

I got books! And things!

  • Every Love Story is a Ghost Story A Life of David Foster WallaceWon: Every Love Story is a Ghost Story by DT Max, a biography of the late David Foster Wallace. The Edmonton Journal’s book columnist Michael Hingston (@mhingston) had an extra copy to give away and I entered on a whim; I’ve never read any of DFW’s work. I was going to jump right in with Infinite Jest, but Michael suggested I start with something a little less ambitious, like Consider the Lobster. “Considering” that Infinite Jest is more than a thousand pages long, I think I’ll take that suggestion.  Check out Michael’s blog for lots of local literary goodness.
  • Bought: Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. This might just be the longest book I’ve ever attempted. Eek.
  • Bought: Love in the Time of Cholera. See my rant about the cover here.
  • Gifted: A brand new, pink Kobo Glo. It’s great! Mostly. Review to come.

I read books! Yes, plural, BOOKS.

  • Vineland by Thomas Pynchon – I wrote up my initial thoughts on this excellent book. Four stars, nearly five.
  • From Away by Michelle Ferguson – Review soon. Interesting themes but the characters didn’t come alive for me. Three stars.

I did things on other blogs!

  • I guest blogged on Reading in Winter. Check out my post on Paranormal in Classic Literature. What a great experience. Kristilyn even helped me with the final touches as I was in the middle of sleep hell with my seven month old.
  • I created my Classics Club list! Now I just have to actually join. I figure it’ll be book snob central – so excited.
  • I committed to do a guest post for Angry Vegan in October. It’s not a book blog, so I’ll have to come up with something a little different. Here’s a guest post I did last year about my week-long vegan challenge failure.

Here’s to an even more productive October. And hopefully some sleep.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I am in awe of blogs that have weekly summaries. Apparently, some people not only read a book a week (OR MORE,) but do other things, such as buy new books, take part in memes and challenges, and even blog. My pace is a little slower, but the end of summer feels right for an update and a look ahead.

How I Spent My Summer

Vineland

You will have acid flashbacks. Even if you never did acid.

  • I updated my About page. Now with more about my awkward teenage years!
  • I added a Book Blogs and Websites page. These are the websites I visit on the regular, all focused on modern and classic literary fiction. I even found a few 1,001 Books readers!
  • I updated my 1,001 Books list. I’ve only finished three list books this year, but two of them were doozies. See my reviews of The Magic Mountain and The Idiot.
  • You may recall that I made some grand plans for my summer reading that involved reading some local books. See my review of Americas, including a brief summary of magical realism in the 1,001 Books. I would like to read from From Away by local author Michelle Ferguson, but I’m  learning the hard way why you should not lend books, ESPECIALLY SIGNED COPIES, to anyone, even your mom.
  • I read my books swap picks, which are also 1,001 Books (convenient!) Reviews are coming soon(ish). SPOILERS: The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul was okay. Vineland is blowing my mind; about 100 pages to go.
  • I met a bunch of Edmonton Book Bloggers for coffee, and nabbed a few books in the process. Thanks to Kristilyn for organizing our little group!
  • I posted my birth stories. I know most of you aren’t in to that. That’s okay. Moving along.
  • I wrote something for Make Jen’s Day. If you have kids, you may relate to this. If you don’t have kids, this may scare you off of having any. Either way, check out the site, it’s a very cool way to promote random acts of kindness.

What’s Up Next

It was motivating to have an end-of-year goal in 2011, even though I didn’t quite make it. This year, I’m on maternity leave, so I should have plenty of time to read, right? Hah! I have a very high-energy two year old who screeches when I’m not in his sight, and a six month old who doesn’t sleep. I’m in survival mode right now, and am lucky to read ten pages per day.

I recently came to an interesting (obvious?) realization; when I don’t read, I’m not happy. A few weeks ago, I was feeling burnt out to the point that I though I had postpartum depression again. I was also going days without picking up a book. Am I unhappy because I’m not reading, or am I not reading because I’m unhappy? Either way, I need to make reading a priority, but without a lot of pressure.

So, my 2012 goal is to read everyday. That’s it. Could be a chapter, a page, or a sentence. 

Finer Things Club

It’s very exclusive.

Well, okay, there’s a little more to it than that. Here are some specific plans and goals for the rest of the year.

  • Read one more from the 1,001 Books list.
  • Write a guest post for Reading in Winter. I’m really excited about this one. I’m participating in “4 Weeks of Bookish Things,” and my theme is paranormal. I’m thinking of an overview of the paranormal in classic lit… beyond the obvious Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Watch for my post on Sept. 28!
  • Join The Classics Club. The concept is simple, but I’m really excited to join the community and meet new people. Each member chooses 50 (or more) classics and commits to read them over the next five years. I’m basically doing this anyway with the 1,001 Books, but it’ll be a good exercise to put some thought into what I want to read. Plus, it’s as close as I’ll get to joining The Finer Things Club.

What are your reading goals for Fall?