Wednesday Challenge Update - 15th May

I'm back to my weekly challenge updates now and I've actually managed to finish two books this week so here goes.

From Goodreads

The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson

From Goodreads:
A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields. But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals.

I have to admit that I did something really naughty with this book...whilst I was reading it I looked it up online. Of course I read something that I really didn't want to and it almost put me off finishing the book. Silly me! Luckily I carried on because I loved the whole thing and I cannot wait to get stuck in to the second one. I feel like it's been ages since I discovered a new fantasy and I'm glad that I've found one to obsess over. 
 

From Goodreads

XO - Jeffery Deaver

From Goodreads:
Kayleigh Towne is gorgeous with a voice that is taking her to the heights of the country pop charts. Her hit single “Your Shadow” puts her happily in the spotlight, until an innocent exchange with one of her fans leads Kayleigh into a dark and terrifying realm. The fan warns, “I’m coming for you,” and soon accidents happen and people close to Kayleigh die. Special Agent Kathryn Dance must use her considerable skills at investigation and body language analysis to stop the stalker—but before long she learns that, like many celebrities, Kayleigh has more than just one fan with a mission.

Jeffery Deaver is easily one of my favourite crime writers and although I prefer his Lincoln Rhyme novels I still really enjoy this one. I love how he surprises you with a plot twist and it completely changes how you see the book and just when you're getting settled he throws in a couple more twists. You never really know how it's going to end until the last few pages and I really enjoy that. I can't stand a crime novel where you can easily see how it's going to turn out. 

So there we have it. Two books closer to my target of 50, I'm now at 23. I feel like I'm going much slower this year and that I'm not stretching myself as much. I may need to do something about that. As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at all of the past weeks of the challenge here.

2013 Book Challenge

I really enjoyed my book challenge last year and it felt so good to accomplish my goal so I've decided to do it again this year. I've kept the same target as last year because I found that 50 was a stretch without forcing me to put off reading books I wanted to due to length.

I know that it's already May but I did start at the beginning of the year and I'm already on 21 books mainly due to some intensive holiday reading in January. I'm not going to do a catch up of this years challenge on here as I have so many other things to catch up on on this blog. You can find what I've read so far over on Goodreads and I'll be doing a weekly update from here on out. I really enjoyed doing these last year and I hope you liked reading them.

Wednesday Challenge Update 21.11.12

Image from Goodreads

A Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin

From Goodreads:
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world...

I was unsure whether to read this instalment or not as Matt and I are watching Game of Thrones but I just couldn't resist. Then I got disheartened part way through as it seemed to be taking me a long time to read it. I was really enjoying it but I'd got used to a faster pace of reading. I think part of the problem was that I was reading it on the Kindle so I couldn't see the size of the book. Once I'd looked it up and found 'Storm of Swords' word count was over 400K I stopped feeling bad that it was taking me a couple of weeks. 
I'm really enjoying seeing how the different story lines are developing for each character and how they are slowly interlinking. I think I'll read a couple of other different books though before I read the next instalment in the song of ice and fire saga. 


This is the first book I've read since I finished the challenge and I'm still finding myself just as eager to pick a new one up straight away. As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at all of the past weeks of the challenge here.

Book Challenge Completed October 2012

Image from Goodreads

Mucho Mojo - Joe R. Lansdale

From Goodreads:
Leonard is still nursing the injuries he sustained in the duo's last wild undertaking when he learns that his Uncle Chester has passed. Hap is of course going to be there for his best friend, and when the two are cleaning up Uncle Chester's dilapidated house, they uncover a dark little secret beneath the house's rotting floor boards—a small skeleton buried in a trunk. Hap wants to call the police. Leonard, being a black man in east Texas, persuades him this is not a good idea, and together they set out to clear Chester's name on their own. The only things standing in their way is a houseful of felons, a vicious killer, and possibly themselves.

This is the second in the Hap and Leonard series and I think I enjoyed it even more from the first. Since all of the characters were pretty well established the story got started much quicker than in the last book. The only slight problem with this one was that I didn't find it too much of the mystery, I could see the plot twist coming but that said it was still very enjoyable.

Image from Goodreads

Altered Carbon - Richard Morgan

 From Goodreads:
In the twenty-fifth century, humankind has spread throughout the galaxy, monitored by the watchful eye of the U.N. While divisions in race, religion, and class still exist, advances in technology have redefined life itself. Now, assuming one can afford the expensive procedure, a person’s consciousness can be stored in a cortical stack at the base of the brain and easily downloaded into a new body (or “sleeve”) making death nothing more than a minor blip on a screen.

This was one of Matt's wild card recommendations for me because he thought I might maybe like it. And he was spot on. Although I like science fiction this isn't the sort of book I'd normally pick up and I'd been putting off reading it after glancing at the back cover. I did find it a little hard going but I really enjoyed it. It felt like more of a crime novel once you'd got over the whole 'consciousness is stored and so can be transferred to different bodies'. I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the trilogy as they seem more military but I certainly liked this one.

Image from Goodreads

This Book is full of Spiders - David Wong

From Goodreads:
WARNING: You may have a huge, invisible spider living in your skull. THIS IS NOT A METAPHOR. You will dismiss this as ridiculous fearmongering. Dismissing things as ridiculous fearmongering is, in fact, the first symptom of parasitic spider infection-the creature secretes a chemical into the brain to stimulate skepticism, in order to prevent you from seeking a cure. That's just as well, since the "cure" involves learning what a chain saw tastes like. You can't feel the spider, because it controls your nerve endings. You can't see it, because it decides what you see. You won't even feel it when it breeds. And it will breed. So what happens when your family, friends, and neighbors get mind-controlling skull spiders? We're all about to find out. 

Matt surprised me with this last week and I was so excited. John Dies at the End was one of my favourite books this year so I was excited to get stuck into this, the sequel. It also felt right that this would be my last book of the challenge. It certainly didn't disappoint. Just as strange as the first one and just as addictive, I didn't want to put it down. I loved it, maybe even more than the first one.


So that's it. I completed it. 50 books this year. I'm really proud of myself and I'll definitely be doing this again next year as I've discovered so many different books. I've learnt a lot about the style of writing I enjoy and, equally important, what I don't. I'm going to continue to do updates for the remainder of the year because I want to keep in the habit of doing them and I'm not going to stop reading. 

As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at all of the past weeks of the challenge here.
 

Challenge Update 19.09.12

Image from Goodreads

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

From Goodreads:
Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.
Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family." But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear, and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. 

This is another of those books which I knew I had to read this year. I had it in my head that it had to part of my challenge but hadn't really given any thought to why. When I starting reading it this week I realised that I had had no idea what the book was actually about. It was such a pleasant surprise to discover the theme of it. I'm not really sure what else to say except that I loved it.


My total for the book challenge is now 47/50. Only 3 books left! I feel like the speed with which I'm reading is decreasing as I come closer to the end of the challenge. I can't believe I'm so close to the end. I won't stop adding to this once I've reached 50 though, I'm interested to see how many I actually read this year now. As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks of the challenge here.

Challenge Update 12.09.12

Image from Goodreads

The Shunned House - H.P. Lovecraft

From Goodreads:
A young man and his uncle have spent years fascinated by an abandoned house. For over a century, numerous inhabitants of the house have fallen sick and died, but no apparent explanation can be found. Strange weeds found no where else grow in the yard, and an unexplained smell emanates from the house. In the cellar, a sickly whitish phosphorescent fungi grows in the form of a human body. When they decide to spend the night there, the mystery of the shunned house becomes even more intriguing...

After finally finishing Clash of Kings I wanted to read something a little shorter. I've never read any Lovecraft before so I thought so decided to start this book on the train. I think it took me about 20 minutes. I didn't realise it was quite that short! I really enjoyed the writing style though and will definitely hunt down some more H.P. Lovecraft books to read.  

Image from Goodreads

The Savage Season - Joe R. Lansdale

From Goodreads:
Start with two best friends who practice martial arts in their free time: one a straight white guy, the other a black gay guy. Add a conniving ex-wife in a blue-jean miniskirt. Throw in half a million in a muddy creekbed somewhere near the Sabine River in East Texas. Add an ex-radical from the '60s and two naive idealists who want to save the world. Mix them all together in a half-assed plan, season with double-crosses, and then top it off with a hilarious and chilling drug dealer named Soldier. Bloody mayhem a la Lansdale.

This is one of those books that Matt has been trying to get me to read for ages and, since I'm doing this challenge and therefore always looking for new books, I thought I'd give it a go. What can I say? I enjoyed it. I should just trust when Matt recommends me a book, I always end up liking them. This book was a little crazy and kind of awesome. Going to start reading the second one soon.

My total for the book challenge is now 46/50. Only 4 books left! As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks of the challenge here.
 

Challenge Update 07.09.12

I know it's not Wednesday but I was just so excited that I had finally finished my book that I'm willing to overlook that small detail. Doing this book challenge has given me unrealistic expectations about books. I find myself getting annoyed that I haven't finished a book after a couple of days. This one took me two weeks and I think I need to remind myself that that's ok. Some books take time, I shouldn't rush through them just for the sake of it. It's all right to savour them. Anyway, on the update...

Image from Goodreads

A Clash of Kings - George R.R. Martin

From Goodreads:
Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

I am loving this series. I'm still finding it a little tough to get through in parts, all of the names and locations can confuse me at times. I'm certainly getting into it though and I really want to read the next one straight away which is always a good sign. I'm not sure if I want to read the next one before the third series of Game of Thrones starts or not though. I don't want to accidentally ruin it for Matt. Not sure I can wait either. Dilemmas.

My total for the book challenge is now 44/50. As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks of the challenge here.
 

Wednesday Challenge Update 22.08.12

Image from Goodreads

The Rook - Daniel O'Malley

From Goodreads:

The body you are wearing used to be mine.
So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.
She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own. 

I found this book whilst looking through the Kindle summer offers and I'm glad that I took the risk and bought it. It was such a fun read and I found that I couldn't put it down. I have always loved the idea of a secret organisation and this one was no different. Watching Myfanwy try and disguise her loss of memory to others in the group was always interesting and I found myself really invested in the character. 

Image from Goodreads

Peter and Wendy - J.M. Barrie

I thought I was very familiar with the story of Peter Pan. I'd watched adaptations including the (1953!!) animated Disney film and Spielberg's 1991 film, Hook and it feels like a story that you just knew from your childhood. Since I was doing this challenge though I thought I'd read the book they were all based on and I found myself constantly surprised by it. The book reads much more eerily and adult than any of the adaptations I was familiar with. I also found Peter Pan to be extremely cocky, annoying and a bit of an idiot. The book was fun to read and I enjoyed tales of their adventures but I found myself worrying about Peter. He has terrible problems with his memory, he doesn't really care for anyone else and he has trouble differentiating between make believe and real life. And not in a cute childish way either. He does it when it comes to food so the Lost Boys never know if they'll get a real meal or just a make believe one! I'm so glad I read this book and despite what I've said I did enjoy it. I guess I was just surprised how different it was to what I'd imagined.


So those are my books for the week and they bring my total to 43/50. I can't believe how close I'm getting to 50 now. As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks of the challenge here.
 

Wednesday Challenge Update 15.08.12

Image from Goodreads

By Light Alone - Adam Roberts

From Goodreads:

In a world where we have been genetically engineered so that we can photosynthesise sunlight with our hair hunger is a thing of the past, food an indulgence. The poor grow their hair, the rich affect baldness and flaunt their wealth by still eating. But other hungers remain...

The young daughter of an affluent New York family is kidnapped. The ransom demands are refused. Years later a young women arrives at the family home claiming to be their long lost daughter. She has changed so much, she has lived on light, can anyone be sure that she has come home?

If I'm honest the main reason I chose to read this book was that I liked the cover. The premise is also really cool. I mean, imagine if we really could photosynthesise sunlight with our hair. Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this book though. There were a few ideas which I loved but overall the book took too long to get going and I felt that the ending (which was my favourite part) was hurried and squished onto a few pages. I really, really wanted to like this book but unfortunately it wasn't to be.

Image from Goodreads

 Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch

From Goodreads:

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

This book, was amazing! I read the entire thing in one day, I couldn't put it down. I liked the familiarity of London with the added magical aspects. I don't really know what else to say about the book except that I really, really like it. I'm definitely excited to read the others in the series.

Image from Goodreads

 The Son of Tarzan - Edgar Rice Burroughs

There's no description on Goodreads for this book but basically it follows young Jack Greystoke (Tarzan's son) during a random chain of events which eventually see him enter the jungle in Africa with one of Tarzan's old friends Akut the great ape. The book describes his jungle adventures as well as the animals and people he meets as it appears he has left his aristocratic London life behind. 
I really enjoyed this, the fourth book in the Tarzan series, more than the third one actually. Although the story was remarkably similar to the original Tarzan book I liked the fresh spin on it. I always enjoy the action and adventure in a Tarzan book, I feel like I'm going to work my way through it the whole series.




So I managed to read 3 books this week (I must have really been on a roll) and it brings my total to 41/50. As always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks for the book challenge here.


 
 

Wednesday Challenge Update 08.08.12

From Goodreads

A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin

From Goodreads: 

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Like a lot of people I've been hooked on the Game of Thrones TV series and so I thought I'd take the plunge and start reading the books. I didn't realise it would take me so long to read this first one. I guess I've got used to storming through a couple of books a week so for one to take me 10 days was a shock. I really enjoyed the detail in went to, the politics and the connections between characters. I did find it slightly difficult to read but I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm going to have to read the next one now...

So that's my only book this week and it brings my total to 38/50. You can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks for the book challenge here.

Wednesday Challenge Update 01.08.12

From Goodreads

Heart-Shaped Box - Joe Hill

From Goodreads:

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals...a used hangman's noose...a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. 

For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing. And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere. Waiting--with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand.

Not sure how I came across this book but I'm glad I did. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son and although this book is nowhere near as scary as some of King's stuff I still found it hard to put this book down. A nice twist on a traditional ghost story this book sees an angry, aggressive ghost haunting Coyne after he buys it for a thousand dollars. 




So, only one book this week. My reading has slowed down as I've started tackling Game of Thrones. I'm about half way through that so hopefully the number of books will pick back up soon. 
My total is now 37/50 and as always you can keep up with what I'm currently reading on my Goodreads page or look at past weeks for the book challenge here.

Wednesday Challenge Update 25.07.12

Image from Goodreads

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Ectoplasmic Man
                        - Daniel Stashower
From Goodreads:

When Harry Houdini is framed and jailed for espionage, Sherlock Holmes vows to clear his name, with the two joining forces to take on blackmailers who have targeted the Prince of Wales.
It’s a case that requires all of their skills — both mental and physical. Can the daring duo solve what people are calling “The Crime of the Century”? 

After reading the Peerless Peer I became interested in the other books in the series. Each book is written by a different author and although I've been enjoying a lot of books by Jose Farmer this year I actually preferred this to the Peerless Peer. I enjoyed the banter between Sherlock and Houdini and the premise itself.

Image from Goodreads

The Beasts of Tarzan - Edgar Rice Burroughs

From Goodreads:

As THE BEASTS OF TARZAN begins, Tarzan -- as Lord Greystoke -- is settled in civilized London. But two of his enemies, Nikolas Rokoff and henchman Alexis Paulvitch, are on his trail. The pair abducts Jane -- and Tarzan's son, Jack. Tarzan himself is stranded on a desert island, but with the help of Sheeta the panther and Akut the great ape he makes it back to the mainland. There he meets Mugambi, the giant chief of the Wagambi tribe, who becomes Tarzan's lifelong friend and ally.

I've been wanting to read the next Tarzan book for months. I really enjoyed the first two and although I'd heard that they get progressively worse I wanted to try them for myself. This one was a little silly in parts and extremely unbelievable but I still enjoyed it. It was a guilty pleasure and one I'll be indulging in again when I read the next one.

Image from Goodreads

 The Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury

From Goodreads:

Only his second collection, it is a marvelous, if mostly dark, quilt of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. In an ingenious framework to open and close the book, Bradbury presents himself as a nameless narrator who meets the Illustrated Man--a wanderer whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos. The illustrations are themselves magically alive, and each proceeds to unfold its own story, such as "The Veldt," wherein rowdy children take a game of virtual reality way over the edge. Or "Zero Hour," in which invading aliens have discovered a most logical ally--our own children. Even though most were written in the 1940s and 1950s, these 18 classic stories will be just as chillingly effective 50 years from now. 

I must confess that I'd never read any Ray Bradbury before this. I've wanted to for a while and this challenge seemed like as good a time as any. I'm so, so glad I did. The writing is amazing. I was hooked. Although I didn't like all of the stories the writing and the imagery it creates kept me reading and enjoying them. I can't wait to try some more of his writing. 


So, three shorter books this week after the mammoth read of last week. I seemed to stray toward the classics and all three of my reads have left me wanting to find and devour more of the same. At this point in my challenge I'm on 36/50. It feels pretty good that I've only got 14 books left to go. As always you can find me on Goodreads to see what I'm currently or what's up next. You can also catch up on past weeks here.

Wednesday Challenge Update 18.07.12

Image from Goodreads

The Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss

From Goodreads:

Picking up the tale of Kvothe Kingkiller once again, we follow him into exile, into political intrigue, courtship, adventure, love and magic . . . and further along the path that has turned Kvothe, the mightiest magician of his age, a legend in his own time, into Kote, the unassuming pub landlord. Packed with as much magic, adventure and home-grown drama as THE NAME OF THE WIND, this is a sequel in every way the equal to its predecessor and a must-read for all fantasy fans.

Oh my. I loved this book. Really, really loved it. I enjoyed the first book in the trilogy but I thought this one was even better. It was such a big book (about 1000 pages) but every last bit of it is so well thought out and I could barely put it down. Definitely in the top three books that I've read for this challenge. Can you tell I liked it? 




I only managed one book this week but it was a pretty hefty one so I'm going easy on myself. This puts me at 33/50 so far. I've got a lot of travelling ahead of me this week so that means lots of chance to read. As always you can follow me over on Goodreads to see what I'm currently reading.

Wednesday Challenge Update 11.07.12

Image from Goodreads

Paper Towns - John Green

From Goodreads:

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.

I'd never read anything by John Green and I must admit I only bought this one because it was the Kindle Daily Deal but I'm so glad I did. Although it's not what I usually read I found I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I'll definitely pick up another book by John Green now. 

Image from Goodreads

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Peerless Peer 
                - Philip Jose Farmer

So, Goodreads doesn't have a description for this book and neither does Amazon so I'll try and do my best to describe it. Combining Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan in one story, the Peerless Peer is set in the Wold Newton universe. I had never heard of the Wold Newton universe before but I am pretty excited about it now. I've even bought another book by a different author set in this universe. 
This book sees Sherlock Holmes and Watson travel to Africa to try and retrieve a bacteria strain that could be used in warfare. After being attacked and forced off course they stumble upon Lord Greystoke in the African jungle. 
I'm a big fan of Philip Jose Farmer, as maybe evident in this challenge, and although this is not my favourite book of his I enjoyed the story and the concept.



I'm now on 32/50 books which makes me six ahead. The book I've just started is a heavyweight though so I think it may take me a couple of weeks. As always you can follow what I'm reading over on Goodreads.

Wednesday Challenge Update 04.07.12

Image from Goodreads

The Magicians - Lev Grossman

From Goodreads:

Psychologically piercing and dazzlingly inventive, "The Magicians" is an enthralling coming-of-age tale about magic practiced in the real world-where good and evil aren't black and white, and power comes at a terrible price. 

I ordered this book from Amazon weeks back but since the arrival of my Kindle I haven't really picked up a physical book. I'm glad I finally remembered it's existence and sat down to read it. The Magicians is like every child/young adult fantasy, magic wielding book but with a distinctive adult flavour. Full of alcohol, sex and swearing it's a far cry from Hogwarts. It did take me a little while to get into though and I felt like I only really got invested near the end but I'll definitely give the second one a read in the near future. 

Image From Goodreads

Redshirts - John Scalzi

From Goodreads:

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and at least one low-ranked crew member is always killed. Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is… and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

 This was such a fun read. As a bit of a sci fi nerd and lover of Star Trek I loved the idea of using the Red shirt idea in a book. It was a quick and easy read and although I did really enjoy the idea, and the reactions of the lowly ensigns as the start to understand what's going and avoid encountering the senior officers, I felt the actual writing wasn't as enjoyable as maybe I was hoping for. I felt like it only really scraped the surface. It was really fun to read though and I recommend giving it a read if you're into sci fi.  


So, this is the half way point of my challenge, the end of the first six months. I've currently read 30/50 books though so I'm a whole 10% ahead. I feel pretty good about that. As always you can check on what I'm currently reading or what's next on the list over on my Goodreads. 

Wednesday Challenge Update (a day late) 28.06.12

Just one book this week although I very almost finished a second one. Oh well, that one will have to wait for next weeks update.

Image from Goodreads

Caught - Harlan Coben

From Goodreads:

Wendy is a reporter on a mission: She's chasing down the lowest of the low-sexual predators-and exposing them on national television. Her big break comes when she nails a child advocate who works with abused and undeserved children. Three months later, the perp is off the grid, missing and presumed dead after the father of a victim claims to have killed him. Then is all comes unhinged: Wendy gets a phone call that changes everything. Secrets long-buried rise to the surface and Wendy begins to wonder if her assumptions that fateful night three months ago were based on solid investigative journalism-or if she has unwittingly been part of a grand manipulation aiming to destroy an innocent man. 

Matt enjoys reading Harlan Coben so he has been trying to get me into reading them. I didn't want to get into another series so he suggested this one to me. I did enjoy it but I didn't think it was anything spectacular. I'd read more of Harlan Coben at one point but I'm not rushing to read it now. Maybe Matt didn't choose the best one for me to start with or maybe I just prefer other crime/thrillers.

So now I'm on 28/50 and I'm still feeling pretty good about it. If you like you can follow me over on Goodreads to see what I'm currently reading.

Wednesday Challenge Update 16th May

Just a quick update this week because, guess what? I caught up. I'm actually posting on time so don't have a long list of books like usual. This past week I've finished two more...

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The Hellfire Conspiracy - Will Thomas

So after finishing number three of the Barker and Llewelyn series I started on number four straight away. This one had a few more glimpses into the backgrounds of the two main characters which I really enjoyed. Little more to say about it except that I'm still enjoying the series. So much in fact that my second book of the week was....

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 The Black Hand - Will Thomas

Yeah, that's right, I read two of the same series in one week. I have to admit that it wasn't my favourite book of the five but I still managed to finish it in 4 hours. This one focuses on the Italian and Sicilian community in London and includes the mafia which was pretty cool. Unfortunately I've now read all of the series so far and it looks like a long wait until the next one. Guess I'll have to start reading something different now.






So now I'm on 22/50 books and I'm four ahead which is a great position to be in. I've finished all of my little series of books now so I'm going to have to look farther afield for a new read... 

Wednesday Challenge Update 09.05.12

I am really, really terrible at keeping up to date with this. I keep telling myself to do it regularly so that I won't have as many to write about in one go but unfortunately I don't often listen. So then I find myself with 3 books to write about and I put it off until suddenly it's been weeks and I have to write about 5 in one go. So here goes this weeks update...

The Books

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The Burning Wire - Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver is one of my favourite authors, Lincoln Rhyme my favourite of his characters and so I was really looking forward to this book. I was not disappointed, I loved it although I did wander around afterwards scared of every metal object because the weapon the murderer uses in this book is electricity.






 

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Dark Prophecy - Anthony E. Zuiker

This is the second book in a series created by the guy behind CSI and, although I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first, it's still a really good read. It's pretty twisted and for some reason I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot more than the second. I'm still looking forward to reading the third one though.

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Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

When I first started reading this trilogy I was pretty sceptical, I knew a lot of people loved it and that always makes me suspicious. I have to say though that I really, really enjoyed it. Mockingjay follows on really well from the others and I was pleased that they didn't chicken out in this book and make it too happy (even if it resulted in me crying). Again it wasn't the best piece of writing ever and it wasn't my favourite of the trilogy but it was fun to read and I don't regret it.

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Lord Tyger - Philip Jose Farmer

I think that I only read my first Jose Farmer book in November last year and I've read four this year alone. This was definitely one of the stranger ones though. It read as a 1970s style Tarzan book which was really interesting but it had some pretty heavy erotic parts which were unusual to say the least. It took me a while to read but I actually really enjoyed reading it even if I was slightly embarrassed doing so in public!



 

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The Limehouse Text - Will Thomas

This is the third book in the Barker and Llewelyn series and sees them investigating the murder of Barker's first assistant after new evidence comes to light. This book is based heavily in the Chinese district of London, Limehouse and I think it may be my favourite so far (I've said that every time). I've already started the fourth one so we shall see if it stays my favourite.







I'm now on 20/50 books and currently 3 books ahead which I'm pretty happy about. On a side note, I know it looks like I really enjoy every book that I've read so far but most of them have been ones that I've wanted to read for a while or have come off of Matt's bookshelves so it was always likely I'd like them. I do want to branch out and try some completely different styles but I don't have money to buy books that I might not like. I think I need a trip to the library.

Wednesday Challenge Update 11.04.12

Wow, it has been a really long time since I last posted one of these updates. I don't know why I haven't sat down and written about my challenges because I have been keeping up with them. So this is now going to be a long post I'm afraid just to catch up.

The books

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 Dooms Day Book - Connie Willis

This was a book that Matt shoved my way when I was debating what to read next. He has a large collection of books that I'm trying to read instead of buying too many new ones for this challenge. I found this book a little longer than I would have liked, I felt like it was stretched out too much in the middle. Over all though it was an awesome concept (it's a kind of historical fantasy type thing) and I did enjoy it, I just felt like it could have got to the point sooner.

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Dayworld - Philip Jose Farmer

I think I read this entire book in one day. I really like the general idea of dealing with overpopulation by giving each person one day. The descriptions of the practicalities of this particularly appealed to me. It was easy to read and I was sad to get to the end of it. I think there is a sequel though so I may have to track that down.


 
 

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The Demi-Monde: Winter - Rod Rees

This book was much more difficult to get into but about half way through something clicked and I found myself excited for the next one. A mixture of fantasy, history and sci fi, the Demi Monde is set in a virtual world comprising of a mixture of 'dupes' and historical figures such as Henry VIII and Reinhard Heydrich. Originally created as a military training ground, something has now gone wrong and the President's daughter is now trapped in the Demi Monde and must be rescued. Definitely worth reading.







Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and other Stories - Robert Louis Stevenson 

I found myself really struggling to read this one. After hating the language to begin with it ended up being one of the things I loved most about the stories. It was particularly challenging in The Merry Men, one of the other stories in this collection, which was partly written in a Scottish dialect. I loved the ideas of man's duality brought up on all of these stories and I'm glad that I branched out and read something different. I'm trying to push myself in this challenge and read both more than I would usually and also a greater range.

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Some Danger Involved - Will Thomas

Yet another book that Matt encouraged me to read. Yet another one I loved. I've been really lucky that I haven't read any bad books yet this challenge. A detective novel based in Victorian London, there's a definite Sherlock Holmes thing going one but that's OK. It's intelligent, witty and hard to put down. This story was centred around Cyrus Barker, the main character, hiring an assistant and trying to solve a crime where a young Jewish scholar is crucified. The first of five books, I've read the second one as well and will start on the others soon.

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The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Another book that I managed to finish in one day. Matt bought the entire Hunger Games trilogy after we went to watch the film last week. I'm glad he did. It was easy to read and hard to put down. I don't think that it is the best piece of literature out there but it was fun and enjoyable. The concept is interesting and the characters are good too. I read the second one of these as soon as Matt was finished with it.

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To Kingdom Come - Will Thomas

The second book in the adventures of enquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant Thomas Llewelyn. I really enjoyed this one as well although if I'm honest not as much as the first one. This time Barker and Llewelyn set out to infiltrate a secret cell of the Irish Republican Brotherhood known as the Invisibles after a bomb destroys the Special Irish Branch of Scotland Yard. This one was just as clever and I enjoyed the glimpses into the character's pasts but for some reason it just wasn't quite as good as the first book. I'll still be continuing with the series though.








The First Time: True Tales of Virginity Lost and Found - Kate Monro

This was the first non fiction book that I've read for this challenge and I really enjoyed it. There are such a range of stories in the book from a wide range of sources. It was an enlightening read and full of surprises, I only wish there were more stories as I just wanted to keep on reading them.

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 Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

This is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy and I actually enjoyed this one more than the first. I felt like it was a little meaner, in a good way, and I enjoyed delving into the politics a little more. Still wish it would go a little further but it was definitely a fun way to waste an afternoon. Once again very easy to read and I'm looking forward to seeing how the next book pans out.








So there we have it. The past nine books that I've read. I'm currently on 15/50 (30%) which, according to Goodreads, is 2 books ahead. I just need to post them here more regularly because that took a lot longer than I thought updating that many in one go. I still have to catch up on the film challenge but I think that needs a post of it's own. I'll try and post it tomorrow.

Wednesday Challenge Update 15.02.12

The books

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The Ambassador's Mission - Trudi Canavan

I really enjoyed the Black Magician Trilogy when I first read it several years ago and although I don't tend to read this type of book too much any more I thought I'd give it a go. I forgot just how easy they are to read and I enjoyed being transported back to a familiar setting and characters. Although this really isn't my favourite genre at the moment I will forever have a soft spot for Trudi Canavan.


  





The films 

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 Carnage (2011)

Finally got around to seeing this this week and I'm glad we did. It was so clever and so random, I really enjoyed it. You can easily see how it works as a play and to be honest I'm glad that it wasn't any longer. It did start to drag a little bit as the storyline was stretched as far as it possibly could be but it finished before I started wishing I hadn't watched it.







I've noticed that all of the films that I've been watching are brand new, shiny ones. I feel like for next week I need to be looking back in time and expanding my horizons that way a little. Current progress is 6/50 books and 9/50 films.