Challenge: 50 Books discussion

^_^ I've been trying to do more reading for a while now, so I figure putting myself up for a challenge would be a good way to go at it. Just joined a bit ago, so here goes with the books I've read so far this year.

1. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (as an audiobook, but close enough...)
2. Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind

3. Traitor's Moon by Lynn Flewelling

My thoughts/impressions: Re-read this one, since I redid Luck in the Shadows and Stalking Darkness in December and I convinced my mom to buy Shadow's Return for me not too long ago. I really do love these books, and I particularly enjoyed this book and learning more about Seregil's past and home. Needless to say, I'm going to be starting on Shadow's Return in the very near future.

4. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

My thoughts/impressions: I've been working my way through the Twilight series (as audiobooks), and while I don't hate them, or even dislike them, I don't see what all the hype is about. That said, I thought this installment was much better than New Moon. Bella still gets on my nerves, though.

5. 間の楔〈1〉帰って来た男 by 吉原 理恵子 (Ai no Kusabi 1 - Kaette Kita Otoko by Yoshihara Rieko for those who can't read Japanese ^_^)

My thoughts/impressions: Well, aside from the fact that reading books in Japanese goes sooo much slower than reading books in English does for me (which is perfectly understandable, since I'm still learning Japanese, but still frustrating)...

This book is one I've been wanting to read for years now. Well, actually this is the first part of an extended version of the one I wanted to read, but close enough. I was already familiar with the basic story (from the anime and drama cd adaptations of it), and that helped... since this first part started off kinda slow. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I would. That said, I'm looking forward to seeing how the story picks up in the later books.

6. 婀娜めく華、手折られる罪 by 鈴木 あみ (Adameku Hana, Taorareru Tsumi by Suzuki Ami)

My thoughts/impressions: This is book 4 in a series that I rather enjoy (it's not for everyone, though... some (rather explicit) subject matter that some people might not care for), and as such I loved it. It's not high art or anything (not even the best of a genre that isn't exactly known for its literary quality). But it was fun, and I continue to adore the setting the author has created for this series, and that's all that really matters in the end.

giant congrats on reading in not only a different language, but different alphabet!!!

Mary Todd wrote: "giant congrats on reading in not only a different language, but different alphabet!!!"

Thanks! ^_^ Japanese is a sort of obsession of mine, but my reading speed in the language still leaves a lot to be desired. Of course the only way to get better is practice...

7. Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind

My thoughts/impressions: The book really picked up in the last 150 pages or so (and I'm glad it did... the beginning part wasn't quite boring, but I definitely preferred the end). That said, I enjoyed this one better than Blood of the Fold, for sure. Nice to the see the marriage thing finally taken care of. It was starting to get on my nerves.

8. The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper (re-read)

9. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.

And that finishes up Twilight for me. Not bad, but I don't think I'll be re-reading them any time soon. (Or rather, re-listening to them, since I did them all as audiobooks.) That said, I do believe Breaking Dawn was my favorite out of the series. Definitely the one that kept me interested for the longest periods of time.

...Though (and I don't think this would have bugged me as much had I read it the traditional way instead of listening to it), that name (Renesmee, *shudder*) drove me insane. I don't think it would have bugged me on paper, but it just sounds so silly (to me) out loud. I couldn't help but giggle almost every time I heard it. ^_^

But besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

10. Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper

Not real commentary here, but I'm amazed at how many details of this book flew right over my head the first time I read it (in high school, I think). Enjoyed it just as much this time, though.

and...

11. A Kiss of Shadows (Meredith Gentry 1) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Another re-read, as will be book 2, though not the rest of the series.)

Leighann wrote: "5. 間の楔〈1〉帰って来た男 by [a:吉原 理恵子|728084|吉原 理恵子|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nopho......"

Curious if you've ever tried reading Ryu Murakami... that's Ryu, the other Murakami. I enjoy the classic Japanese books but lately have really been enjoying the contemporary writers. They tend to be very graphic and disturbing... great stuff :D

Brian wrote: Curious if you've ever tried reading Ryu Murakami... that's Ryu, the other Murakami..

No, I haven't. I got in to Japanese through the anime and manga, and so far the books I've read haven't gotten too far from that. All light novels so far, and mostly stories with anime, manga, or drama cd adaptations that I've already had experience with.

You should get double credit for the Japanese ones!
Hats off to your first 10!

Mary Todd wrote: "You should get double credit for the Japanese ones!
Hats off to your first 10!"

Thanks!

Since most of the Japanese books I read are about half the length of the English ones I read (often even less than that), counting them double would make them just about equal to the English ones. ^_^

12. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

Another re-read of a book I read a long time ago, and also another audiobook. ^_^ I enjoyed this entire series when I read it way back when, and so far I've enjoyed the beginning of my time with it again.

13. 今夜はマのつく大脱走! by 喬林 知 (Konya wa Ma no Tsuku Daidassou! by Takabayashi Tomo)

Book three in a series that I'm slowly, but surely, working my way through. One of my quickest reads in Japanese yet, too! ^_^ I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite the puns/humorous bits that I didn't necessarily catch and (Japanese) pop culture references that occasionally went over my head.

14. A Caress of Twilight (Meredith Gentry 2) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Another re-read, and a really fast one at that! (Started it last night...)

15. After Long Silence by Sheri S. Tepper

And... yet another re-read. (Gonna be lots of re-reads from this author, since I'm rediscovering her works at the moment.)

Leighann, If you like Sheri S. Tepper, do you have any other similar authors to recommend??? I love her stuff!

I am having a hard time finding sci-fi to read that doesn't treat women characters as ciphers...i.e. only in the novel to provide 'services' to the male characters. I am tired of this! I want 3-dimensional characterization!!!

I do love Lois McMaster Bujold as well. But I'm having a hard time finding other sci fi that isn't totally annoyingly male dominated and one-sided. You would think, that in the future we would be past some of this inequality.

MB wrote: "Leighann, If you like Sheri S. Tepper, do you have any other similar authors to recommend??? I love her stuff!

I am having a hard time finding sci-fi to read that doesn't treat women characters..."

Unfortunately, I don't. ^_^; I've never been very good at comparing authors (or even defining exactly what it is I like about certain authors and/or stories for that matter). Sorry. ^_^

16. Seduced by Moonlight (Meredith Gentry 3) by Laurell K. Hamilton

First non re-read for this series, but still just as quick a read as the last one. I find the setting for this series fascinating (though so very NSFW ^_^). The way I look at it, it's entertaining, and that's all that matters to me. ^_^

17. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

Another re-read and audiobook. ^_^ I'm finding I enjoy this sort of fantasy in audio form quite a bit. (Not that I don't enjoy it in normal book form. ^_^)

18. Grass by Sheri S. Tepper

19. A Stroke of Midnight (Meredith Gentry 4) by Laurell K. Hamilton

20. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
and 21. Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings

22. Mistral's Kiss (Meredith Gentry 5) by Laurell K. Hamilton
23. A Lick of Frost (Meredith Gentry 6) by Laurell K. Hamilton

24. Core Servlets and JavaServer Pages, Vol. 1 Core Technologies, Second Edition by Marty Hall

...Textbook for Java web development class. Didn't quite read the whole thing (we skipped chapters 1, 2, and 18), but close enough. (Would never count a non-textbook as done unless I read the entire thing, but for me the rules change for textbooks.)

Now, the database and SQL book for my other class I'm not counting, because we only covered 9 chapters (out of 15) in that one. ^_^;

ugh...count that one, too...sounds dreadful to this tech disabled person!

25. Swallowing Darkness (Meredith Gentry 7) by Laurell K. Hamilton

----- <----half way mark and you are there!

Mary Todd wrote: "----- <----half way mark and you are there!"

Thanks! ^_^

Woo hoo!

26. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (re-read)
and 27. Enchanters' End Game by David Eddings (audiobook, re-read, and done with the Belgariad ^_^_v)

28. Raising the Stones by Sheri S. Tepper (re-read)

29. The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Book 2) by Laurell K. Hamilton (re-read)
30. Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Book 3) by Laurell K. Hamilton (re-read)

31. Sideshow by Sheri S. Tepper (re-read)
32. The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling (re-read)

Lots of re-reads lately, but they're all books I haven't read in several years, at least. ^_^ And after I re-read Hidden Warrior, I have a bunch of library books I've never read waiting for me.

33. Hidden Warrior by Lynn Flewelling (re-read)

And now on to something that I haven't read before... while I attempt to track down a copy of Oracle's Queen. ^_^;

34. Very Bad Deaths by Spider Robinson

It's been several years since I read anything by Spider Robinson, and I found that I missed the experience. This book was a fast read for me (started it in the middle of the afternoon and was done by 11 pm), and I've come to the conclusion that it was more the way the story was told (particularly the main character/narrator and his general attitude toward everything) than the story itself that drew me in. ^_^

35. Staked by J.F. Lewis

36. ReVamped by J.F. Lewis

Think I'm going to take a bit of a break from the vampires and urban fantasy for a little bit. I know I have a medieval-ish fantasy (with halflings, I think...) in my stack o' library books, so I think I'll go for that one. ^_^ But the rest of my stack o' library books is urban fantasy, if I remember correctly...

That said, I do love the vampires, especially when they're the type who don't sparkle. (Nothing major against Twilight... just my own preferences.)

37. An Unexpected Apprentice by Jody Lynn Nye
38. Snake Agent A Detective Inspector Chen Novel by Liz Williams (probably not gonna continue with this series in the future... just didn't do it for me ^_^)
39. Unclean Spirits Book One of the Black Sun's Daughter by M.L.N. Hanover

40. Melusine by Sarah Monette (re-read)
41. Guardians of the West by David Eddings (audiobook)

42. The Virtu by Sarah Monette (re-read)

^_^ This book went really fast... under a day. And now moving on to the part of the series that I haven't read yet. ^_^

43. The Mirador by Sarah Monette

So this one dragged a little more than the first two did, but still thoroughly enjoyable. I still love the characters (even Felix, despite the fact that he was an absolute prick in this book). I love the setting. I just think it took a while to really pick up speed. (And even so, I still enjoyed it enough to give 5 stars... ^_^; )

Now on to the next one. ^_^

44. Corambis by Sarah Monette

And I do believe I just read that entire four book series (at about 420 pages a book) in under a week. Yeah, I liked it. ^_^ This final book really differed from the first three books, but I think it was a fitting end to the story. I am officially satisfied with the way things turned out, and that's always a nice feeling to have upon finishing a series.

45. The Bone Key by Sarah Monette
46. A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette (and Elizabeth Bear)

47. The Last Dragonlord by Joanne Bertin (re-read)

Shall we see if I hit 50 this week? ^_^ ...I probably should do something besides read, since my last semester of school (hopefully forever this time ^_^; ) starts tomorrow. But fiction is so much more interesting than textbooks about databases and such...

48. Dragon and Phoenix by Joanne Bertin

I don't think I read this one before... I think I would have remembered the use of thee where it should have been thou (pet peeve ^_^; )...which is much more prevalent in this one than it was in The Last Dragonlord. But enjoyable despite that. ^_^

49. Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur

Something about this book bugged me, but I'm not sure what... I think it might have been the fact that it's a little more romance (as in the genre, not just love stories in general) than I generally prefer. But I didn't dislike it either...

And so... one more book to go! I think I'll make it a vampire book. Or maybe I'll go sci-fi (psions, specifically) instead.

50!! Blood Groove by Alex Bledsoe ^_^_v

I did the vampire book. It was a pretty fast read, though it wasn't quite the sort of vampire book I prefer.

I made it. And since the year's not even half over, I think I'm upping my goal to 100 now. ^_^ Just because I think I might actually make that too.