Irrepressible Perserverence

It's hoooooot.  *whiiiiine*

And I'm cleaning.  Which, actually, is a good sign.  It means I've shaken off the blargh that's been piling up around my head for weeks now.  I know it's bad when the mess doesn't even bother me anymore but I reached my breaking point this morning.  On top of the clutter, I was running out of room for all of my TBR books so I had to do a little bit of rearranging.  (I shuffled over the little bookcase and my desk to the right and moved the three drawer night stand on the light side of the desk were there's now room; the books run across the entire tops of all three now. ...XD!)

So I've dusted, swept, cleaned off and threw stuff into the closet (what?  It's a project for another weekend).  The bed has stuff on it because I'm waiting for the laundry to be done and then it all goes up.  And maybe I'll take pictures because my mom is always amused when my room is actually, you know, clean.

And now, because I like lists, my TBR books:
( Booooks )

...this is not to indicate that I don't want books for my birthday or gift cards to bookstores.  Because I'm addicted.  ^.^

I'm kind of now discovering why I never read much of Jane Austin to begin with (*hears gasps of horror, ducks rotting veggies*) - I've just started the book tonight and the additions of the zombies ('unmentionables') and those parts are great.  But the rest is, uh, a trifle boring.

...Tonya's so going to disown me. :D

It probably doesn't help that my brain is still full of stuffing.  I am, however, incredibly amused by the various drawings that can be found in the book.

1.  Death's Daughter (Calliope Reaper-Jones Book 1) by Amber Benson - Yes, that Amber Benson from Buffy.  *grins*  It's a fairly good book - first person urban fantasy about Death's daughter getting dragged back into the family business when her dad, sister and the Board go missing.  It's amusing and has a few nice twists in there.  My only big problem was I kept visualizing the main character as Tara.  XD

2.  Watchmen by Alan Moore - Ben loaned this to me the day before we went to see the movie.  I really enjoyed it, even if it did screw with my head.  That really wasn't helped by the fact that I read it in one day (ride to and from work and lunch) and then saw the movie the very next night.  I could see what the fuss was about.

3.  The Glass Harmonica by Louise Marley - Okay, I would have been really happy if half the book hadn't happened.  I thought it was at least 50 pages too long, I really didn't connect or care for either of the main characters and even my love of historical figures in fiction couldn't float me through this.  Very disappointing.

4.  Fire and Fog by Dianne Day - Book two in the Fremont Jones   Just as much fun as the first book, though I have a feeling that the supporting cast is going to keep changing with every book - not all, though.  The mystery part of it was more central to the book, which was nice.

5.  End of the Century by Chris Roberson - This was a very, very fun book.  It spans across three points in time (in the times of the 'real' King Arthur with the focus on Galaad; 18th Century England with Sandford Blank and Roxanne Bonaventure; and now with American teen Alice Fell) and it neatly ties clues and hints in each section.  All the characters are fun, though I'll admit that I wasn't as in love with Galaad and his adventures.  Also, deathpixie , Alice is like an American Amanda!  The end got REALLY weird and gave me a headache but it was still a really good book, even if the explanation gave me that headache.

6.  Nightingale's Lament (Nightshade #3) by Simon R. Green - Ah, the magically inclined detective.  So over done - and, yet, I think Green makes his corner of the genre shine.  I like him almost as much as Jim Butcher; it's more like reading Constantine.  I haven't read the Nightshade series in a while but it was nice to pick up the book and be sucked right back into it.

7.  The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade by M.J. Trow - Awhile ago, doqz  recommended this book to me after I bemoaned the treatment of Lestrade in the makings of various Sherlock Holmes movies/books and it finally appeared on paperbackswap.  I really, really enjoyed it.  It made Lestrade very human but very smart, Holmes was amusing and yet very sad when he appeared in the book, and the seemingly unconnected mysteries at the start proved to be very connected and very intriguing.

8.  Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez - Okay, I just love this author.  I've loved everything I've read by him and my enjoyment just grows and grows.  The Earl of Vampires, who happens to be named Earl, and a Duke of Werewolves, who likes to be called Duke, wind up at a diner that's having a spot of supernatural trouble.  Soon they're up to their necks in evil teenagers, a take no prisoners waitress, zombies, ghouls and ghosts.  And it's completely cracktastic but believable as well.  My hat is off to Martinez for taking two of the most overdone types of characters (werewolves and vampires) and making them fun characters while laughing at the pretty boy images.

9.  The Bohemian Murders by Dianne Day - Book 3!  Once more, very much in love with the two main characters - and there are hints at returning supporting cast, which I love - and loveable new supporting cast.  It seems with every new book, Day's mysteries blossom and grow from the previous two books.

What do I recommend?  Everything but The Glass Harmonica; what I would recommend the most, however, are End of the Century, Gil' All Fright Diner and The Adventures of Inspector Lestrade.

*drowns in books*  Not that this is a bad thing, mind you, but I'm a little stunned at the amount that I've gotten lately.  And with the exception of, three, I believe all of them have been from PaperBackSwap which amuses me a great deal.  So what I've gotten lately:

-The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
-The Return of Merlin by Deepak Chopra
-The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
-The Lamplighter by Anthony O'Neill
-The Glasswrights Apprentice by Mindy L. Klasky
-Perfume by Patrick Suskind
-The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
-Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
-The Strange Files of Freemont Jones by Dianne Day
-Whiskey and Water by Elizabeth Bear (bookstore)
-The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes (bookstore)
-Dhampir by Barb & J.C. Hendee
-I am Legend by Richard Matheson
-Daemons, Inc. by Camille Bacon-Smith (tee hee, Bacon)
-The Awakening by L.L. Foster
-One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin (bookstore and currently reading)

This list is not including the books I got over Christmas or at the book swap before Christmas.  o.o  And this is not counting the fact that seven more books are in the mail to me from the the site and another three are waiting to be mailed out.  I've also got five more credits with the book site, going to get another one in a day or two - holy crap, guys!

With the exception of brand new books by must have authors, my book spending is going to drop like crazy thanks to this site.  If you consider the postage I pay to send books out to get those credits, my books are costing me about - *does the math* - $1.50 each?  If that? :D

Lately, I've been reading Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series.  To be honest, it sometimes takes quite a bit to get me really into high fantasy in the last few years - I'm much more into urban fantasy but I'll give high fantasy a try now and again if the concept is interesting.  Or if a favorite author is putting out books.

I think I stumbled onto Mistborn: The Final Empire completely by accident.  Borders had a 'buy one off this shelf, get something else off this shelf half off' sale.  I can't remember what else I picked up but that's the book I got on sale.

The entire premise is "What what happen if the big bad guy won?"  Not only did the big bad win but he's managed to set himself up as god and he's been ruling over the entire world for over a thousand years.  The people are subjugated to the point where most of the serving class (ie, 90% of the human race) don't ever think there's another way because there really isn't.

The magic system is unique - there are people who can do "magic" but it's by using, or 'burning', an outside source.  Metal that the Allomancer's swallow.  Each metal is paired up with another and each metal does something different.  If you burn Tin, your senses get enhanced.  If you burn pewter, you get stronger and hold up against more damage.  Those that can burn and use all of them are Mistborns - most people can only burn one metal (pewter burners are Thugs, etc).

The main characters make up a skaa (the lower class) thieving crew who's latest gig is to take down the Final Empire.  Kelsier, the leader and a Mistborn, takes Vin under his wing and into the group - the story is mainly told from their perspectives as an entire year of planning and working goes by.

Now I LJ cut for the second book. ;)


The only bad thing about the book is that the third installment, The Hero of Ages, isn't out until Oct. 2008.

If you're looking for a fantastic fantasy series with well-fleshed out characters, interesting twists on some of the common themes, and some good world-building...yeah, go get these.

(The only thing I sometimes noticed was that it, at times, would get a little bogged down in detail because there's just so much going on.  The second one more than the first because then you really get into the workings of the government.)

I've been buying and devouring books at a great speed lately (I've taken to carrying two around in my TARDIS-bag), managing to startle the new manager by pulling out two books that were 500 pages long from the bag today.  I wish I had more book gift cards because I'm having to force myself to stop buying so many books (I'm also still running out of shelf space).

The last few things I've read are:

Cast in Shadow and Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara; Nightlife by Rob Thurman; The Hobs Bargain by Patricia Briggs; The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu; The Resurrection Casket by Justin Richards (Doctor Who Novel) and Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready (obviously more but these are the only ones that aren't put up on the shelves because I'm running out of room).  I want to get the third book of Cast in Secret (sooo good - oh hell, she's Cast in Fury coming out in October, heeeelp meeee) but I'll try and be good, wait until next payday.  Right now, I'm currently reading Orphans of Chaos by John Charles Wright - after that, I've got four new books I'll crack open before finally settling in (hah) to read the rest of the TBR books that I've had for a lot longer.

The problem is I find these fantastic authors and they keep writing sequals.  (Or worse, like with the authors of Clockwork Heart  and Whitechapel Gods, brand new authors and nothing else! *grabby hands*)

I have two metro rides and a lunch hour to read in and I pretty much do so as much as I can.

I discovered the other day that I own over 250 books.  That's...impressive for just one person, I'd like to think.  It impresses me, anyway.  But I went through my books (I really need one more bookcase) and pulled out the ones I bought and didn't read/didn't finish.  While I'm more, more, more than happy to get books for gifts (yes, please ;) ) I think I'm going to stop actively buying any until the...uh.  13 are done.  (Three are new!)

So what's on my metro reading schedule?

Another One Bites the Dust (A Jaz Parks Novel) by Jennifer Rardin.  An urban fantasy, vampire series (Once Bitten, Twice Shy was the first) but...I don't know.  This stuck out and the characterization is FANTASTIC.  Very well written all around.

Frankenstein, Book One: Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz and Kevin J. Anderson.  Recommended by nute and I just happened to spot it in the store tonight.  Frankly, I was just uber pleased to find they had a dedicated horror section.

Hounding the Moon by P.R. Frost.  One my random finds of "Hey, it looks good, seems to not suck.  I'll buy it!" purchases.

Seduced by Magic by Cheyenne McCray.  Uh, yeah, you can see where my tastes are heading these days.  Horror/dark urban fantasy for the win.  Apparently it's the second one -- and for the life of me, I can't remember if I've read the first.  That's going to be interesting.

California Demon by Julie Kenner.  *laughs*  Okay, the first book (Carpe Demon) first caught my eye because the main character is a retired demon hunter with a family that knows nothing about her former life.  Good luck with that secret. ;)  She's pulled kicking and screaming back into the job while trying to juggle parenthood and her husband's growing political career.  Haven't even started the second one but I adored the first book.

Curse the Dark and Bring it On by Laura Anne Gilman.  Gilman was the reason I really started to read and enjoy long series again.  Interesting spin on magic (kind of like the Weather Wardens) and I love the characters.

...Britishbadboys.  Shut it.  It's a romance.  Moving on.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.  Yeah, I think it's about magic and magicians but all I really know is I could do some considerable damage if I smacked someone with it.  846 could seriously knock some teeth out.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini.  It was a cute movie so I'm going to give the book a try.  Only big downside is I don't think the third one is out yet.

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes.  I know, roughly, what the movie is about but the book -- not so much.  That's okay, it'll be a surprise!

Death Match by Lincoln Child.  Mmm, Lincoln Child.  I swear, I'll read anything by him or Douglas Preston.

Dance of Death by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.  Speaking of...;)  The 6th book the two have done involving Special Agent Pendergast -- and part of the Diogenes series (the first five books aren't part of that series but they all have Pendergast in them).  Seriously, Pendergast is one of my top literary heroes now.  The books are very well-written and always make you want to read the next one.

So...what's in your wallet to read list? ;)