The Monday Agenda 7/15/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

This past week marked my 1st anniversary as a blogger! It’s been a blast! Don’t forget to enter my giveaway.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Joyland by Stephen King: Done! My review is here.

Mist by Susan Krinard. Still working on it. To be honest, it feel likes a bit of a struggle not to “DNF” it, but I’m hoping I’ll feel differently if I just give it a bit more time.

Reading with the kiddo: We started The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis this week. Our Narnia adventure continues!

Fresh Catch:

Two new books this week, one from the library and one to keep:

GorgeousBring Up the Bodies (Thomas Cromwell, #2)

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I hope to finish Mist by Susan Krinard shortly. I’m ready to move on!

I was looking forward to reading my review copy of The Book of Secrets by Elizabeth Joy Arnold — but due to either human error (blushing) or a technical problem (sure, blame the other guy!), it didn’t get “sent to Kindle” when I thought it did… and now it’s archived and unavailable. Le sigh. Trying to figure out how to get my hands on a copy.

Meanwhile, if that doesn’t work, I’ll dive into some YA fiction, starting with Gorgeous, and if there’s time, one of my summer TBR books — most likely Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys.boy1

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday Agenda 7/8/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

I’m back, busily bustling through bunches of books (and amusing myself with alliteration, it would seem).

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

This is really a two-week check-in, since I was away (on a lovely vacation, thanks for asking!) and skipped a week of blogging. Here’s what I’ve read since my last update:

Vacation books:

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde: Done! Loved it. My review is here.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel: Done! My review is here.

A Small Death in the Great Glen by A. D. Scott: Done! My review is here.

Post-vacation reading:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: Done! Beautiful book. My review is here.

Saga, volumes 1 and 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples: Amazing new graphic novel series from the author of Y: The Last Man, one of my favorites. I loved the two volumes of Saga, and can’t wait to read more.

Fresh Catch:

Well, I was away, after all, so the fresh catch collection is on the smallish side:

Saga, Volume 2When You Were HereThe Girl You Left BehindOpenly Straight

Yes, I did read Saga, volume 2 already, the second it reached my hot little hands! The other books are from a giveaway (When You Were Here — thank you, Perpetual Page-Turner!) and two ARCs that were just approved. Looking forward to all of them!

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I’ve just started Joyland by Stephen King, and I’m hooked!

Next up, one of my pending review copies, either Mist by Susan Krinard or The Book of Secrets by Elizabeth Joy Arnold.

Mist (Mist, #1)The Book of Secrets: A Novel

Plus, I’d really love to get to more of the books on my summer TBR list!

My kiddo is safely home from an “awesome” time at summer camp, and ready to resume our nightly reading tradition. We’re continuing our Narnia quest, and will be starting The Voyage of the Dawn Treader this week. Four books down, three to go!

boy1So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday Agenda 6/24/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

True fact: I’m away and not actively blogging this week. Oh, the power and beauty of scheduling! Just because I’m off to parts known and unknown, it doesn’t mean I can’t post a Monday Agenda for this week.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Sea Change by S. M. Wheeler: DNF. I read about 30 pages or so, but it just never really clicked for me.

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce: Done! My review is here. Warning: Contains rants and spoilers.

The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis: Done! My son and I have now read four Narnia books together, and plan to continue as soon as we’re back home. We loved The Horse and His Boy. We managed to squeeze in a quick Q&A With The Kiddo post on our Narnian adventures — you can see it here.

That’s it! It was a low-volume reading week, thanks to the typical pre-trip frenzy of packing, laundry, and last-minute dashes to the store for insect repellant and other such nonsense.

Fresh Catch:

Neil Gaiman! Plus, two paperbacks — bought cheap! — arrived from the UK this week. I’m so looking forward to reading all of these!

The Ocean at the End of the LaneRose Under FireThe 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave, #1)

Yes, I’ve already read (and loved!) The 5th Wave… and now I have my own copy!

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

Instead of choosing my own vacation reading, I asked my blog visitors to do it for me! Based on my poll results, here’s what I’ll be reading in the next week and a half:

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

A Small Death in the Great Glen by A. D. Scott

… and possibly Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, although I doubt I’ll fit all this into my not-as-long-as-I’d-like vacation.

Thank you to everyone who voted and offered an opinion (or two)! I’ll report back — when I get back!

boy1

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday Agenda 6/17/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan: Done! My review is here.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay: Done! My review is here.

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith: Done! My review is here.

My overall summary? This Is What Happy Looks Like is a perfect summer book, light and romantic; The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully written book about tragedy and hope; and Invisibility, while having a great premise and some very interesting twists, is ultimately a bit of a let-down.

The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis: About six chapters to go! My son and I continue to power through our Narnia read… and we continue to love it!

Fresh Catch:

Two eagerly awaited pre-orders finally arrived this past week! Now if only I had time to actually read them…

The FirebirdJoyland

These two books both have amazing covers, in their own way — but look so wrong together.

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I’ve just started reading a review copy of Sea Change by S. M. Wheeler, received via NetGalley. Isn’t this a great cover?

Sea Change

After that, I’d like to finally sit down with Fathomless by Jackson Pearce, which is due back at the library next week.

Meanwhile, I’m getting ready for a short vacation that starts next weekend, so what with packing my bags and getting my kid ready for camp, I’m not sure how much reading I’ll actually get through this week.

Have you voted in my vacation reading poll yet? Rather than pick my own reading material for my upcoming trip, I thought I’d let everyone else do it for me! Here’s the link to see the options and cast your vote. Choose wisely! Whichever books get the most votes by Friday are going straight into my suitcase.boy1

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday Agenda 6/10/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris: Finished! My review is here.

Doll Bones by Holly Black: Finished! My review is here.

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan: Started over the weekend; about half-way through. I’m intrigued, but withholding judgment until I see where it’s going.

Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis: Another Narnia book goes in the “finished” column! My son and I finished this one a few days ago — and like the rest of the series, it’s great!

Fresh Catch:

No new books this past week — can that be true? I did buy one new book from Amazon — but when it arrived, it had some ugly sticker marks and residue on the cover, so I returned it… and realized I didn’t want it all that badly after all. So, in my mind, it’s like I saved money! (Technically, that would be a no, but hey, whatever works…)

Also in the Amazon fail department, a book I’d preordered ages ago was supposed to arrive on Thursday — and then got delayed until this coming week. Bummer.

I did get approved for a few review copies via NetGalley, but I’ll wait to discuss those until I’m ready to start each one.

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I’ll be wrapping up the rest of Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan in the next day or so.

After that, I’m looking forward to reading The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay.

And if there’s time, I’ll continue working my way through my stack of library books, starting with Fathomless by Jackson Pearce and This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith.boy1

The kiddo and I have gotten our Narnia reading order slightly messed up — going neither by publication date nor by story chronology — but that’s okay, we’re enjoying it all anyway. We’re now a few chapters into The Horse and His Boy. And after that? Only three to go!

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday Agenda 6/3/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey: Finished previous week, reviewed this past week. Amazing book. My review is here.

Tempest Reborn by Nicole Peeler: Done! I laughed and cried my way through the final book in the Jane True series. My review is here.

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris: Finally started, will continue this week.

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks: Done! My review of this graphic novel is here.

Read but not reviewed: I read the first three volumes in the graphic novel series Morning Glories — and will not be reading any further. I found the plot confusing, scattered, sadistic, and not terribly engaging. I continued reading the series beyond volume 1 only to see if the storyline would become clearer or if my impression of the books would improve. Neither happened.

Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis. My son and I are continuing our Narnia read-aloud, and enjoying it very much.

Fresh Catch:

My book haul this week is a bit more modest than last week. I bought one new book, picked up used copies of three books that I’d already read but didn’t own, and added an ARC to my list of upcoming reads:

Fair Coin (Coin, #1)Cinderella, Vol. 1: From Fabletown With LoveThe DovekeepersDelirium (Delirium, #1)The Sea of Tranquility

And then on Thursday, I went to a lovely book event and got my copy of this book signed by the author:

The River of No Return

I know I’ve raved about this book several times already, but seriously — I loved it! Check it out. (My review is here)

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I’ve just gotten started with Dead Ever After, the final entry in Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series.

Next, I have a few library books waiting for some attention. I plan to read Doll Bones by Holly Black next, and then Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan.boy1

The kiddo and I should be finished with Prince Caspian in the next couple of days, and I’m assuming that he’ll want to keep plowing ahead with our Narnia read. Not that I’m complaining! Besides being tremendously fun, I feel like I’m finally filling in a gap in my childhood reading history.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday agenda 5/27/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig: Although I read it the previous week, I just wrote a review this past week. Click here to see what I thought.

Amity and Sorrow by Peggy Riley. Read but didn’t review. While parts of Amity and Sorrow — a story about a mother and two daughters trying to rebuild their lives after escaping a polygamous fundamentalist cult — were interesting to read, overall I found the book didn’t hold my attention very well. In the end, rather than write a not-very-positive review, I opted not to review it at all.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey: Just finished. One word review: Wow. I’ll be writing an actual review shortly. Don’t miss this intense book about an alien invasion.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. My son and I finished our read-aloud of the 2nd book in the Narnia world this week, and are happily continuing with #3.

Fresh Catch:

A big haul this week — five library books plus a review copy of the upcoming new release in the captivating Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer:

This Is What Happy Looks LikeDoll BonesFathomless (Fairytale Retellings, #3)InvisibilityDead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse, #13)The Shade of the Moon (The Last Survivors, #4)

And in graphic novels, a couple of new ones from the library, plus I picked up a copy of a Fables-related title which I’d previously read but didn’t own:

Friends with BoysMorning Glories, Vol. 1: For a Better FutureCinderella, Vol. 2: Fables are Forever

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I’m planning to start with the graphic novels: Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks (recommended to me by my amazing daughter!), and then volumes 1 – 3 of Morning Glories, which I’ve been wanting to try.

The sixth and final book in the terrific Jane True series by Nicole Peeler comes out this week! I intend to re-read book 5, Tempest’s Fury, and then jump right into Tempest Reborn the second it arrives.

After that, I’ll hit the new (and last) Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead Ever After, which finally arrived at the library this week.boohide3

The kiddo and I just started Prince Caspian last night. These Narnia books are fun but fast, so I’d imagine that we’ll polish this one off before the end of the week.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday agenda 5/20/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill: Finished! And just in time for the author’s book signing! My review (including random gushiness about the book event) is here.

Twerp by Mark Goldblatt: I read a review copy of this delightful book for middle-grade readers. My review is here.

The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig: Finished last night, review to follow. Quick response: I loved this imaginative re-telling of Hamlet!

Fresh Catch:

Just a few items this week. I bought myself copies of two books that I’d borrowed from the library and loved: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller and Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. In addition, I picked up an e-book version of The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd, which looks like the start of a promising trilogy.

The Dog StarsAttachmentsThe Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1)

Looks like a few more books on my library hold list will come in the next few days as well — but sadly, no Sookie yet. For whatever reason, my library system still lists the new book as “on order”, despite the fact that it came out two weeks ago! Argh.

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

After finishing The Dead Fathers Club last night, I started Amity and Sorrow by Peggy Riley. After that, I’ll try to get through one or two library books, most likely starting with The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.

Meanwhile, I need to squeeze in a quick re-read of Tempest’s Fury, book 5 in the amazing Jane True series by Nicole Peeler. The sixth and final book comes out next week, and I want to be ready!

My son and I are about 2/3 of the way through The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and I expect we’ll be ready for book #3 in the Narnia series by the end of the week.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday agenda 5/13/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

Considering I was sick in bed with a nasty cold most of the week, I did pretty well with my reading plans. Accomplished in the past week:

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley: Done! My review is here.

The Theory of Everything by J. J. Johnson: Done! My review is here.

The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis: Finished this read-aloud with my son. Our thoughts are here.

Read but not reviewed:

I went on a graphic novel bender, reading three books in the Mercy Thompson series and two books in the Alpha & Omega series, all based on novels by Patricia Briggs. I enjoyed the Mercy graphic novels very much; the Alpha & Omega books fell a bit flat for me, particularly because of the cartoonish illustrations.

Also finished: My read-through of Much Ado About Nothing (c’mon, you know who the author is!). I ended up doing a quick read on my Kindle during my sick days. I’m not sure how much I truly absorbed — but it was enough to feel like I had a better familiarity with the plot and the characters. And now I can’t wait to see the movie version AGAIN when it comes out in June. (For more on the Much Ado movie, click here.)

Fresh Catch:

So first of all, this arrived this week — all 700 pages of it:

I also returned a bunch of library books, and as per usual, came home with more. But only two this time, and one is a tour book, so I consider that a win!

And in other news highlighting my amazing powers of self-restraint, I went into an adorable used book store over the weekend and didn’t buy a thing! (Of course, I didn’t see anything that I actually wanted, but that’s beside the point.)

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

Gotta finish NOS4A2. I’m about 400 pages into it — and it is by far the creepiest, most twisted thing I’ve read in ages. I came close to putting it down and picking up something lighter — you know, with kitties or rainbows — but I managed to keep going. Joe Hill is an amazing writer, but geez, this is a disturbing book.

I’m not sure what I’ll end up picking up next — I’m thinking either The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig or A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.

Meanwhile, my son and I are pressing ahead with our Narnia read, and have started The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

The Monday agenda 5/6/2013

MondayAgendaNot a lofty, ambitious to-be-read list consisting of 100+ book titles. Just a simple plan for the upcoming week — what I’m reading now, what I plan to read next, and what I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.

How did I do with last week’s agenda?

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn: Finished it; enjoyed it; reviewed it. My review is here.

Ask The Passengers: Done! My review is here.

Read but not reviewed:

Far in the Wilds by Deanna Raybourn: A prequel to A Spear of Summer Grass. This novella provides the backstory for one of the main characters, and is worth checking out if you’ve read Spear.

Interview with the Vampire: Claudia’s Story by Anne Rice and Ashley Marie Witter. This graphic novel retells events from Interview from the perspective of Claudia, the child vampire. Fans of Anne Rice’s books may want to read this as a side-note to the novels, but I wouldn’t recommend it in place of reading Interview with the Vampire.

Fresh Catch:

I managed not to buy any new books this week, although I did pick up a used copy of this book after a book club friend recommended it:

See? Real self-restraint this week. No guarantee that will last, however.

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I wrote a bit of a blogging manifesto for myself over the weekend (you can read it here), in which I reminded myself to put reading ahead of blogging — in other words, read the books I really want to read, rather than picking books based on what might work well as blog posts. There are so many other sources of stress in my life. Reading shouldn’t be one of them. So, onward! With a fresh outlook, I hope.

That said, here’s where I stand in terms of a reading agenda for the coming week. I’m about midway through The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley, and I’m enjoying it very much. I decided it was finally time to make it a priority, even though it’s been on my shelf for months now, because the author has new book due out soon and I’ve heard that at least one of the characters from The Shadowy Horses will be showing up.

After much internal debate about continuing to buy brand-new hardcovers when I already have so many unread books in my house (you see where this is going, don’t you?), I finally broke down and ordered myself a copy of Joe Hill’s new novel, NOS4A2. It should be arriving on Tuesday, and I plan to start reading it the second it arrives.

Since NOS4A2 is 700+ pages, I’m guessing that will fill up my reading agenda very nicely this week, thank you very much.

But, if I do have any random down-time, I’ll continue my slow but steady read-through of Much Ado About Nothing. I’m aiming for a scene each day — not too ambitious, but it’s still not always happening. I don’t feel a great sense of urgency about this, but I would like to become more familiar with Shakespeare’s comedies, and this is a good start.

My son and I are approaching the end of The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis. We’re in Narnia and have met Aslan. Looking good. And seeming likely that we’ll continue with the Narnia books after this one is done.

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.