This thread is pretty self-explanatory--it's my list of books I've read in 2010 (all books I own). Surprisingly, I read 75+ last year, so maybe I can do it again.

My Other Challenges:
* Paranormal TBR Challenge
* 1010 Challenge

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 1, 2010, 3:32pm.

1) Chobits: Volume 1 by Clamp
Read: Jan. 1 - 1
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Chi isn't your average humanoid computer. She can't do word processing, she can't connect to the Internet, and she's incapable of networking with other persocoms. Even her sound card seems broken. No wonder Hideki found her tied up in a pile of trash. But when the 19-year-old technophobe takes her home, he finds that she may be more advanced than her childlike behavior lets on.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, sci fi, romance, manga, series, chobits, robots, tokyo, japan
My Notes: Kinky, for sure, but somehow they were able to keep it "tame" (or sexless is probably what I meant). Illustrations ok but not great (main reason for the "4" rating). Still, can't wait to get started with the next volume, especially considering how abruptly this one ends. Captivating storyline.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 1, 2010, 7:45pm.

Welcome!

hi Sara

Good to see you back, I enjoyed your thread last year, so I got you starred :-)
Anita

Hi, drneutron & Anita. Yay, familiar faces. :)

Thanks, Anita. I'll have to take a peek at your thread as soon as I can.

And thanks for getting these little groups created, drneutron.

Welcome back! I look forward to checking your thread regularly. You are off to a great start. Book #1 sounds fascinating.

2) Chobits: Volume 2 by Clamp
Read: Jan. 1 - 1
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Hideki is used to getting the short end of the stick. He can't get into school, his parents cut off his allowance, and he's a 19-year-old virgin. So when he found a perfectly good humanoid computer--a persocom--lying in the garbage, it seemed like his luck was finally starting to turn around. Chi isn't like any other persocom ever created. She is self-teaching--a true artificial intelligence--and best of all, she's hot. Hideki should have known it was too good to be true. The diagnostics said that Chi's memories were erased, but something, or someone, is hidden away in her cybernetic soul, and now it is trying to contact her. If Hideki doesn't figure out her mystery soon, he may lose Chi... to herself.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, sci fi, romance, manga, series, chobits, robots, tokyo, japan
My Notes: Loved it, but I almost hated to finish it, because this is the last book I own in this series, and each book keeps ending on such a cliffhanger. (sigh) Besides being one of the more refreshingly mature manga I have read (I thumbed through some of the other Clamp books I have, but most are for younger readers), it was also quite funny and reflective of today's obsession with high-tech gadgets. More of a 4.5.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 2, 2010, 12:39am.

Thanks, Linda! :) I'll have to hunt for your thread too. Or should I say threads, since you have quite the following? ;) If I remember right, you read some really good books last year, some I own but just haven't read yet. I'll have to add them to my 2010 TBR pile. And yes, Chobits: Vol 1 was surprisingly good. I'm not an avid manga reader, but it's growing on me. I'm just now starting the second volume, which I'll hopefully finish tonight.

3) Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Read: Jan. 1 - 2
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Left on her own when her family dies in a terrible disaster, fifteen-year-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past. Struggling to survive physically and emotionally in a place where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden. But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she'd once been as she inks darkness into her skin. It is only through a series of mysterious encounters that Green can relearn the lessons of love and begin to heal enough to tell her story.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, death, orphans, gardens, animals, dogs
My Notes: After reading The Foretelling, I wanted more grim storytelling, so I started this one. I could relate somewhat to Green/Ash, pre-death ("a weed who grew too tall") and post-death (disappearing from grief). It's not all doom and gloom (there is some hope at the end), but I think people who have lost someone close to them will connect better with this book (speaking as such a person, so I really empathized with the scenes Green/Ash has with her dead sister). Definitely recommended.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 2, 2010, 2:53pm.

Glad to see you back with us again, Sara!

Sara

Alice Hoffman is one of my all-time favorite authors. She is incredible! I've been hooked on her books since her very first novel.

I rad Green Angel last year and really enjoyed it.

Here is a link regarding her works:

http://www.alicehoffman.com/

10: Good to see you on here, too, Stasia! :) I just found your thread and omg! You're already up to 100+ posts. Can't wait to follow your reads for this year. Good luck!

11: I agree; she is incredible! She's just become one of my favorite authors this past week. I finished 2009 up with The Foretelling (my second by her), and after finishing Green Angel early this a.m., I'm eager to hit the bookstores to look for more of her books. I think it was your thread from last year that kept reminding me, "Read more Alice Hoffman, Sara", but I kept getting sidetracked. Thanks for her site addy! I can now make my shopping list of Alice Hoffman books. :D

4) The Best of Jaid Black by Jaid Black
Read: Jan. 2 - (currently reading)
My Rating: 3/5
Synopsis: Three sizzling tales from the Queen of Steam, Jaid Black. Tremors: Marie Robb went to Europe to find herself, but she ended up finding more than she bargained for in the process. When a flat tire on a deserted back road puts her at the mercy of a mysterious, reclusive man, she must decide between following the dictates of her heart and body or heeding the advice of the villagers... The same villagers that say Fredrik Sörebo is nothing but a monster. Newly revised, more erotic than ever before... The Obsession: Neil Macalister, a conservative and oh-so-proper lecturer of mathematics at the University of Edinburgh, thought he was happy with his sensible, ordinary life. But from the moment he laid eyes on Valentina Jason-Elliot, a sexually liberated woman ten years his junior, he became obsessed with having her. Neil quickly discovers there aren't any lengths he won't go to in order to capture the object of his desire, for he's determined to have Valentina bound to him...in the heart and in the flesh. Vanished: Lynne Temple is driving through the Appalachian mountains and toward her new life. She made grand plans to start fresh after her divorce, including settling into a new town. An overturned semi on the West Virginia turnpike forces Lynne to use a temporary detour route through a remote rural area high up in the mountains... A detour route from which she will vanish without a trace.
My Tags: fiction, romance, erotica, short stories, sweden, scotland, west virginia
My Notes: ?

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 2, 2010, 8:22pm.

5) Tink, North of Never Land by Kiki Thorpe
Read: Jan. 2 - 2
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: TINK AND TERENCE are best friends. But sometimes Terence, well . . . he gets on Tink's last nerve. So when Terence accidentally squashes Tink's favorite bowl, her anger flares up and she lets him have it! But Tink soon realizes she made a mistake. How can she make it up to Terence? With a bunch of Never flowers? Or legendary pixie dust? Tink sets off an an epic quest through Never Land. She's never failed before . . . and she's not about to start now!
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, fantasy, series, disney fairies, fairies, friendship, magic
My Notes: I have a soft spot for Disney movies. After all, I grew up watching Peter Pan and all that. Except this is a spin-off, so the characters from the movie and book aren't really involved, though Peter Pan and the Lost Boys make a cameo near the end. One thing that did strike me odd about this book is how surprisingly mild-mannered Tink is when she has a temper tantrum. And seeing her best buddy, Terence, with several other hot fairies...well, the old Tink I remember would've been pretty vindictive. But I'll have to agree; this Tink is probably a better role model for kids than, oh say, the one who used to sic mermaids on girls named Wendy. ;) Also, the writing flows very well, especially for a kid's book (no stilted "See Jane. See Jane run. Run Jane run."). And the color illustrations are just gorgeous, almost something straight from the screen.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 2, 2010, 11:53pm.

6) It's Not Menopause . . . I'm Just Like This: Maxine's Guide to Aging Disgracefully by John Wagner
Read: Jan. 2 - 2
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: OK, you've picked up the book and looked at the back cover. About time, Sherlock. You'll like the insides, too. Full of my witty and brilliant comments about getting older, getting flabbier, getting frustrated...things that burn my biscuits! So, go ahead. Buy this book. Because, trust me, you don't want to get on my bad side.
My Tags: nonfiction, series, maxine, comics, menopause, old age, humor
My Notes: Maxine's cranky and funny as ever! "Books...A nice change from reading prescription labels." Agreed. ;)

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 3, 2010, 3:13am.

#9: I already have that one in the BlackHole (thanks to Linda), but unfortunately my local library still does not have it.

#15: I love Maxine! I will have to look for that one.

BlackHole? (scratches head) You got me on that one. And yes, it was Linda who got me to start Green Angel, too (I'd had it for awhile, just never got around to it). Hopefully your library can get an inter-library loan or something. It's a really touching book.

And yes, Maxine--she's a hoot! :) I love reading her greeting cards when I'm killing time in stores. I've never seen any of her books in bookstores though. If I remember right, #15 was donated to our library, so that's how I purchased it. Good luck looking for a copy! :)

#17: Ah, the BlackHole is what I call my TBR pile. It started out as Mount TBR, quickly morphed into Continent TBR, then Planet TBR, and so finally, the BlackHole which will never need renaming.

LOL! Well, at least you have a sense of humor about it. And true, I don't think you can go much further than a black hole. :)

7) Rani in the Mermaid Lagoon by Lisa Papademetriou
Read: Jan. 2 - 3
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Rani doesn't fit in. Ever since she had to cut off her wings to save Mother Dove, she doesn’t feel like she belongs with the water talent fairies. In fact, without wings, she doesn’t feel like she belongs with any fairies at all. Rani sets off on a perilous journey to find a home, a journey that leads her underwater, deep into the lagoon, where the mermaids live. Maybe there Rani will discover who her true friends are!
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, fantasy, series, disney fairies, fairies, mermaids, magic
My Notes: For some reason, I didn't enjoy this one as much as my first Disney's Fairies book (Tink, North of Never Land), probably because 1) Tink wasn't the protagonist (she's the quintessential Disney fairy after all), and 2) Rani was too uber-sensitive and woe-is-me over her physical "handicap". Her running away was too dramatic a response over one bad situation, especially since the majority of her fairy friends accepted her the way she was. I'm not sure if Rani's loss of wings was covered in a previous book (I'm reading this series all out of order), but it didn't confuse the plot at all, though I was still kinda curious about what happened. I also noticed nobody actually comes out and says the "handicapped" or "disabled" words, but I suppose just being different is enough for any reader to relate to, since we're all a little unique. Now, wrapping up (before this becomes longer than the book), two more notes: 1) the illustrations are, as usual, just beautiful (though the mermaids didn't look quite as well done; perhaps to prove their inner ugliness?); and 2) this is my second Lisa Papademetriou book and would love to read more by her, since I enjoyed M or F?.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 3, 2010, 5:25pm.

#19: My main problem with the BlackHole is getting the books out once I put them there. So many other interesting books come out that seem to take precedence.

Totally understood! :) Kinda like reaching in and having a different book--or (worse!) books--show up in your hand. Or at least that would be my problem. I'm trying to stick with my TBR pile from last year, but I keep finding better alternatives. And I swear I have an evil doppleganger who keeps buying/trading books and putting them in my library. ;) I think I'm up to around 1,000 unread books, give or take (*only*) a few hundred. :O Sheesh! I'm going to need to find a BlackHole of my own.

#22: I have 800+ catalogued in my library that are unread at the moment - my goal is to read 250 of them this year. The BlackHole is over 10,000 at the moment and unfortunately, already growing in the new year.

Wow! You finish 250 this year, and I will just be in awe. 800's doable in a lifetime, though, so that's not too bad. (That's why I don't feel too bad about having so many unread books. I figure if I can buy 'em cheap now, what's the harm? I have a good 50+ years to read them in.) But 10,000... I'm just speechless at that. :D Do you own all of them, or is it a list of books you want to read?

Well, I figured 250 was about 1/2 of the total number of books I read last year, so the goal is to read one of my books to every library book.

My husband will assure you that I own 10,000 books (closer to 5,000, I think - I do not have them all catalogued), but the BlackHole contains just a list of books I want to read. I have not the storage space to hold them all physically - would that I did!

That is so cool! :) I don't know if your husband likes that many books around, but I'd just be in heaven. And splitting your books 50/50 with the library's sounds like a good plan. Hope it works for you!

I think my husband has just resigned himself to the fact that if there is a flat surface available in our house, a book is going to be on it :)

Thanks for the good wishes, Sara.

My daughter loves the Tinkerbell stories. We'll be reading one together next week.

I enjoyed Green Angel too when I read it a few years ago. I kept it in my YA collection.

#27: No problem, Stasia. :) And I totally agree--if I find any flat surface (that none of my cats or dogs can get onto), I claim it for books. I mean, what else is going to settle there but dust? ;) Unfortunately, I've set a few books on my fridge and haven't found them for days.

#28: Awesome! :) I hope she likes whichever one she reads. I only have two in the series (the ones above) and really liked them both. A lot of our tween patrons just love them, so that's how I got into the series. And plus it's Tinkerbell. Who doesn't love Tink? :)

#29: Yay, another fan of Green Angel. :) I'm keeping mine too. I think I just need to find Incantation, and then I can check of Alice Hoffman's YA books and move on to her adult ones (which, strangely, I haven't read one yet).

8) Bad Cat Page-A-Day Calendar 2009 by Workman Publishing Company
Read: Jan. 3 - 3
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Bad Cat is paws-down the most offensive cat calendar ever—and the funniest, packed with day after day of inexcusable feline behavior. Here are hundreds of kitties gone crazy: the lethargic and the clumsy, the goofy, the indifferent, the cross-eyed, and the plain ol' mean. Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestselling book this calendar includes Bad Cats in Show Business, Feline Faux Paws, Bad Cat Parole Violations, and Bad Cat Fortune Cookies (Fortune: You will feed me or die).
My Tags: nonfiction, humor, animals, cats, photography, series, bad pets, calendar
My Notes: Yes, I know this is a calendar; and yes, I know it's 2010, not 2009; so thanks for not pointing that out. :P I'm just a wee bit behind on last year's reads (still finishing up on a few). Still, I figure if it has more than a few printed pages, I'm counting it for my challenge. This could easily be a sequel to Bad Cat by Jim Edgar, even if it's all in black-and-white.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 4, 2010, 1:40am.

9) Julie by Cora Taylor
Read: Jan. 3 - 4
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: When she is little, Julie Morgan can see things other children can't. And as she gets older she discovers she knows things other people don't. Things that haven't happened yet, or things that nobody is aware of. Scary things. Julie finds her "gift" a mixed blessing: she doesn't really understand it herself, and certainly few others do. She is very much alone with her unsettling knowledge. And what good is such knowledge if you don't know how to use it, or what to do with it? Then something happens, and at last it all begins to make a little sense...
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, psychic, series, julie, canada
My Notes: What a charming book--short and fast paced--just the way I like 'em. I loved the rural Canadian setting, too (Winnipeg or Alberta; I don't remember which). It's also one of the few books I've read involving ESP that wasn't horror/fantasy-related, so that was a nice change of pace. Another was the main character's age--starting at age 4 and moving on to around 9 or 10. Strangely, most of the covers for this book depict Julie as a teen; maybe because not too many readers would be drawn to such a young protagonist? Who knows. But I found it easy to forget her age because of how precocious and insightful she is. The burden of her "gift" seemed to mature her quite a bit. I'm assuming Julie's Secret is the sequel to this book (this being Cora Taylor's debut novel, which actually began as her thesis in college), which I'm eager to read. It'll be interesting to see how Julie continues to deal with her clairvoyance and possible telekinesis (I wasn't clear on if she had the latter ability or if it was just a fluke).

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 5, 2010, 3:04am.

WOW! Nine books and it is only January 3!

I know, I'm surprised too. :D Actually, I'm still reading Julie at the moment, and I put The Best of Jaid Black on the back burner temporarily (that's why I love anthologies--you can read a story, then put it aside, and not lose track of anything). Plus I had a 3-day weekend, so that kinda helps. But once I go back to work tomorrow, I probably won't post for a few days.

10) Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett
Read: Jan. 9 - 18
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Beautiful, wild, funny, and lost, Katie Kampenfelt is taking a year off before college to find her passion. Ambitious in her own way, Katie intends to do more than just smoke with her boyfriend, Rory, and work at the bookstore. She plans to seduce Dan, a thirty-two-year-old film professor. Katie chronicles her adventures in an anonymous blog, telling strangers her innermost desires, shames, and thrills. But when Dan stops taking her calls, when her alcoholic father lands in the hospital, and when she finds herself drawn into a dangerous new relationship, Katie's fearless narrative begins to crack, and dark pieces of her past emerge.
My Tags: fiction, diaries, sex, coming of age, drug abuse, babysitters
My Notes: I couldn't relate much to Katie (the protagonist), now or even as a late teen. In fact, there were times I didn't even really like her (she's very shallow; has a Lolita complex with older married men; and as one of her friends puts it {a good friend at that--ouch!}, she's a "self-centered borderline-insane nympho" and an "incipient alcoholic"). That--in addition to the sinister, aggravating-as-hell ending (I won't reveal any spoilers, but I began to doubt everything Katie had written, which I guess you have to do with diaries/blogs)--had me uncertain of how to rate this. Despite the obnoxious main character and abrupt ending, I had to bump it up to a "4", because it is a guilty pleasure (I'm a sucker for trashy novels). Plus it reads fast (despite being almost 300 pages), is graphic enough without being raunchy, and by the end, (most of) you can say, "Well, at least my life isn't as bad as hers!"

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 18, 2010, 7:25pm.

11) The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
Read: Jan. 10 - 10
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: A very quiet cricket who wants to rub his wings together and make a sound as many other insects do finally achieves his wish.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, picture book, animals, insects, crickets
My Notes: Most of Eric Carle's books came out just as I was leaving elementary school, so I never got around to them until recently. Obviously, I'm not above reading a picture book--especially one that makes such an annoying chirping sound at the end. It sounds more like a book alarm than an insect "singing", which is perfect for anyone to have some mischievous fun with....

12) The Not-So-Jolly Roger by Jon Scieszka
Read: Jan. 10 - 10
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Friends Joe, Sam, and Fred--the Time Warp Trio--once again look into the mysterious book sent by Joe's magician uncle and are transported into a pirate adventure full of thrills and high comedy.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, fantasy, series, humor, time warp trio, time travel, historical, pirates
My Notes: Not quite as action-packed as the first/previous book in this series (Knights of the Kitchen Table), but still very good.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 11, 2010, 2:31am.

I like the look of Green Angel and Undiscovered Gyrl so I'm definitely going to be watching your thread again this year :)

Thanks, lunacat! :) I'll have to look for your thread after commenting here (if you're doing one this year?).

Green Angel I definitely give a thumbs-up. I saw it on a couple threads last year and couldn't believe I owned it and hadn't read it by now. Plus, it's only 116 pages (my copy anyway), so that was a major bonus.

Undiscovered Gyrl is also a thumbs-up at this point (I'm halfway through it). If only I didn't have work, other books going, etc... I would've been done by now. It's that fast of a read, even for being almost 300 pages (and I'm not a fast reader).

(popping over to look for your 2010 thread now)

Hi Sara,

I came over to investigate after seeing you on lunacat's thread. I missed you last year, but I've got you starred now! You've read an interesting collection of books so far!

Wow Sara you sure are reading a lot of books. I know someone who I believe has the Chobits books. I don't think I have ever read any Manga books. Maybe something I need to look into.

I didn't get a chance to read all the reviews. One day next week when I have nothing to do I will try to read them.

#40: Hi, Foxen and thanks! :) I just found your 75 Books Challenge and am heading on over....

#41: Thank you, but almost all of them are kids books. :D It's easy to pad your challenges that way. Plus there was vacation time, so that helped.

I never really got into the whole manga/graphic novel craze either (well, until about a year or so ago). I blame it on working in a library for so many years. There are tons of books around; you start getting interested in just about everything. I'd recommend trying one or two of 'em, Chobits or whatever you can find. Couldn't hurt. Plus they're super-fast to get through (once you get used to reading them right to left {the Japanese way}).

Ah, not to worry about the reviews. :) It's mostly self-babble, not really critiques.

13) Pen Pals #1: Boys Wanted by Sharon Dennis Wyeth
Read: Jan. 18 - (currently reading)
My Rating: ?/5
Synopsis: Advertise for boys? Why not? There are no boys at the Alma Stephens School for Girls, and Lisa, Palmer, Shanon and Amy don't want to spend every Saturday night up in their suite just eating pizza and complaining. So they advertise for pen pals--male pen pals! Their ad works--maybe too well. Will their pen-pal idea get them into big trouble with Miss Pryn, the strict headmistress? Can their pen pals really be as nice as they sound? And why is Shanon so afraid to meet her pen pal face to face?
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, series, pen pals, new hampshire, boarding schools
My Notes: It's been almost 20 years since I first read this series, so why not reread them? Not as bad as I had expected--or maybe that's just the nostalgia talking.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 26, 2010, 3:44am.

14) Violet & Claire by Francesca Lia Block
Read: Jan. 22 - 23
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: This is the story of two girls, racing through space like shadow and light. A photo negative, together they make the perfect image of a girl. Violet is the dark one, dressed in forever black, dreaming Technicolor dreams of spinning the world into her very own silver screen creation. Claire is like a real-life Tinker Bell, radiating love and light, dressing herself in wings of gauze and glitter, writing poems to keep away the darkness. The setting is L.A., a city as beautiful as it is dangerous, and within this landscape of beauty and pain Violet and Claire vow to make their own movie. Together they will show the world the way they want it to be, and maybe then the world will become that place --a place where people no longer hate or fight or want to hurt. But when desire and ambition threaten to rip a seamless friendship apart, only one thing can make two halves whole again--the power of love.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, coming of age, friendship, los angeles, california
My Notes: I liked the split first-person pov: Violet in the first half, Claire in the second half. The ending was kind of weak, though. Still, Ms. Block is starting to grow on me, so I gave this one a "5". It's mainly memorable for the filmmaking aspect, eg, young Hollywood crowd behaving badly--snorting coke, sleeping with older men/agents, yadda yadda yadda. Good read if you're in the mood for flowery writing over plot/substance, which I was at the time.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 24, 2010, 3:45am.

15) Chobits: Volume 3 by Clamp
Read: Jan. 24 - 24
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Computers are supposed to make people's lives easier, but as Hideki is quickly finding out, taking care of your computer can be a full-time job! Regardless, Hideki is thrilled to have a persocom of his own--the enigmatic Chi--even if she isn't as user-friendly as other computers. His friends tell him that Chi is a supercomputer, possibly a legendary Chobit--an AI. That would explain why she acts so human. Maybe she's a little too human. The more time Hideki spends with Chi, the more it feels like an actual relationship. But as Chi's feelings for Hideki intensify, she begins to unlock the secrets of her past... secrets that are better left forgotten.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, sci fi, romance, manga, series, chobits, robots, tokyo, japan
My Notes: Maybe it's because my Chobits reading streak was put on hold until I could find Volumes 3+, or because Vol 2 ended on such a weird and wild note with Chi 1) working in a live adult peepshow and 2) unleashing some hidden powers over other persocoms--either way, I found Vol 3 a little tame. (Obviously, Vol 2 is my favorite so far.) Not to mention a few characters fall into the background (two elope), and a few more are introduced (hopefully as more than just red herrings). But at least Plum, the perma-happy mini-persocom, is still there, now as Hideki's temporary li'l sidekick. Gotta love her!

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 26, 2010, 4:47am.

16) Chobits: Volume 4 by Clamp
Read: Jan. 24 - 24
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Computers can do almost anything these days. In addition to the usual online functions, data processing and graphics applications, the new persocom models with increased AI and increasingly human appearances can function as workers, friends...even lovers. Take Chi, for example. Since Hideki found her she has learned to go shopping, do basic chores, and she's even managed to get a job at a bakery. She's not the first persocom to do these things by any means, but her potential hasn't even begun to be tapped. Because there's a good chance that Chi is a Chobit--a self-learning, feeling, AI. Chobits are the computers of legend, so rare that if one was found some collectors would resort to any means to get their hands on one--even kidnapping. Now that word of Chi has leaked out, that's exactly what happens.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, sci fi, romance, manga, series, chobits, robots, tokyo, japan
My Notes: The plot's picked up some with Chi being kidnapped; unfortunately, the guy isn't very menacing. And Chi's bakery manager finally reveals his sad backstory involving his wife/persocom (one more character I've grown attached to and fear will be pushed into the background like a couple other characters).

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 26, 2010, 4:43am.

17) Chobits: Volume 5 by Clamp
Read: Jan. 24 - 24
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: If a persocom's memories are stored on a hard drive, are they real? After all, a hard drive can simply be erased. This question has been driving Hideki mad as he searches for his kidnapped 'com, Chi. Hideki has always maintained that persocoms are just machines, but his heart tells him that there's something special about Chi, and he can't let her come to harm. As Hideki and friends follow the kidnapper's online footprints to his lair, a mysterious duo keeps watch on the proceedings with great concern. Chi has proven once before that she holds the potential to be quite dangerous, despite her innocent exterior. Should her self-defense mechanism activate again, it could prove even more destructive. The clock is ticking, both in Hideki's search for Chi and Chi's search to complete herself.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, sci fi, romance, manga, series, chobits, robots, tokyo, japan
My Notes: Again, I'm at the end of my reading streak (I'll have to look for Volumes 6-8 asap). Even though I still really enjoy this series, I'm somewhat frustrated that nothing major has been revealed (yes, we know Chi is "special", but how exactly?)--and just 3 more books to go before it's finished. One thing I found repetitive and annoying in the past few volumes is the "City with No People" picture book series Hideki believes mirrors his own relationship with Chi--and with good reason, too, considering who the author is (which is finally revealed).

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 26, 2010, 5:12am.

18) Maria Holic: Volume 1 by Minari Endou
Read: Jan. 26 - 27
My Rating: 3/5
Synopsis: Because of her phobia of men, Kanako enrolls in an all-girls school to find her one true love. When she meets a captivating freshman named Mariya who fits her criteria, it turns out that her seemingly ideal mate happens to be a cross-dressing sadistic boy! Can things get any worse?!
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, romance, series, maria holic, manga, lesbians, boarding schools, friendship
My Notes: Good premise, but confusing. I had a hard time keeping some of the characters straight (no pun intended ;), probably because 1) a couple of them looked alike, and 2) they would interchangeably refer to each other by first/last names.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 30, 2010, 2:12pm.

You seem to be on quite a manga kick to start off your reading year, Sara! I wish my local library had more manga as I would like to read some. My oldest daughter really enjoys the genre.

#49: I know. I never thought I'd ever get into manga/graphic novels, but some of them are really pretty good. (I'm still not a 100% fan. Yet.)

I wish my local library had more manga...

Same here! Ours seem to magically grow legs and walk out. :/

#50: Ours seem to magically grow legs and walk out.

I wonder why :)

19) Junie B. Jones is a Party Animal by Barbara Park
Read: Jan. 30 - 30
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Lucille is having a sleepover party, and Junie B. Jones can't wait! That's because Lucille lives in her richie nanna's big giant house. But before Mother and Daddy will let her go, Junie B. has to learn all the rules of spending the night. Like no running. And no head-butting. And no talking back to the nanna. Only, what kind of dull party is that? Surely Junie B. will find some way to make things interesting...
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, series, junie b. jones, humor, parties, wealth
My Notes: Good moral.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 30, 2010, 2:47pm.

20) Cirque Du Freak #1: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan
Read: Jan. 30 - Feb. 5
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Two boys who are best friends visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, series, cirque du freak, horror, vampires, spiders, friendship, freak shows
My Notes: Considering this is a vampire series, I thought he (the vampire) would be more in the forefront, but it's his abducted pet spider, Madam Octa, that is (which shouldn't be surprsing really, considering the opening sentence {"I've always been fascinated by spiders."} and that each chapter has a tarantula silhouette on it--nice touch, btw). I'm not afraid of spiders (in fact, I'm one of those annoying vegans who doesn't squash insects), but this book could easily generate some arachnophobia, like in one scene involving a giant spider spinning a web in a character's mouth--for fun! Also spider-related, I found it amusing that Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider made it to #4 on LibraryThing's book recommendations for A Living Nightmare. I'd agree w/ the rec. Now, wrapping this up before it becomes a novel, I only have book #7 at present, so I'll have to put this series aside until I can find books #2+. I'll just have to get my vampire fix elsewhere.

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 6, 2010, 2:40am.

21) Vampires: The Greatest Stories edited by Martin H. Greenberg
Read: Jan. 30 - (currently reading)
My Rating: ?/5
Synopsis: ?
My Tags: fiction, horror, short stories, anthology, vampires
My Notes: My two main reasons for buying it (other than it was cheap): vampires and Tanith Lee.

Message modifié par son auteur, Jan 30, 2010, 8:08pm.

Congratulations on reading 21 books in January! That is incredible!

Thanks! :) Now, if only I could say I've finished all 21.... I just started A Living Nightmare and Vampires: The Greatest Stories today, so those two'll take me a couple days, at best. Oh, and I still need to finish the final third story in The Best of Jaid Black.... (trying to do the math in her head) Meh, I like how your comment made it all sound--21 books in January. I think I'll stick with that. ;)

22) Faces of Fear by John Saul
Read: Feb. 4 - March 7
My Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Alison Shaw may not be beautiful, but she doesn’t really care: She’d much rather read a good book than primp in front of a mirror. But Alison’s gorgeous mother, Risa, knows that beauty can be a key to success and wishes only the best for her daughter–a wish that may come true after Risa marries widowed plastic surgeon Conrad Dunn. Conrad claims that he can turn Alison into a vision of loveliness, so the teenager reluctantly agrees to undergo the first procedure. Then Alison discovers a picture of Conrad’s first wife and notes, to her horror, a resemblance between the image in the photo and the work her stepfather is doing on her. Though, Risa refuses to acknowledge the strange similarities, Alison digs further into her stepfather’s murky past, uncovers dark secrets and even darker motives–and realizes that her worst fears are fast becoming reality.
My Tags: fiction, horror, california
My Notes: This was more of a thriller than horror, and certainly not as suspenseful as I'd hoped either. I mean, the summary above (swiped from the back cover) pretty much gives everything away about the "mysterious" Frankenstein Killer who's been killing women for their facial features and adrenal/thymus glands. But I'm a sucker for John Saul books, so I gave it a "4" for being halfway entertaining.

Message modifié par son auteur, Mar 8, 2010, 12:26am.

Did you finish A Living Nightmare yet? Just curious to see what you think of it. I am currently up to book 3 in that series.

I'll probably finish A Living Nightmare today (Friday), since I only have a chapter or two left. You're up up to #3 already?? Awesome! Unfortunately, I only have #1 and #7: Hunters of the Dusk, so I won't be able to keep up. :( But keep reviewing 'em. I've really fallen for this series, which I kind of figured I would. I've been wanting to read it since it came out; I just can't find any cheap copies.

My local library has 3 copies of book 4 in the series, but when I checked earlier every single one of them said 'Overdue.' Who knows if I will ever get to read it!

Well, I guess 'Overdue' is better than being 'Lost' or 'Missing'. But it's hard to be patient when you're right in the middle of a series, I know. Let's hope someone returns #4 ASAP!

Unfortunately, my local library stretches the meaning of 'Overdue' quite a bit. I requested a book a couple of months ago that said 'Overdue.' Turns out the book was due back 6 years ago!

Oh man! Just a wee bit late, I'd say. :D I'm guessing your library knew it was gone, but either didn't change the status or didn't have another term for reordering copies.

I did a quick search of our library's Cirque du Freak books (in particular Vampire Mountain, which has a few holds, plus 1 available copy, which I'd send your way if I could!) and was surprised by the odd amount. We maybe have one copy of one book and half a dozen of another. I'm surprised the series is still so popular after coming out a few years back. Even our Harry Potter books don't generate as many holds anymore.

ETA: I just noticed we have quite a few of the Cirque du Freak graphic novels, though. I had forgotten that series had become animized (lol--is that a word?). Have you read those yet? Or plan to?

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 5, 2010, 5:22pm.

I did not even know there were graphic novels. Not that it does me any good. My local library does not have them. The only graphic novels my local library has are the Bone books by Jeff Smith, which I loved.

Oh bummer. :( I've seen the Bone books around, but have never read them. I'll have to give them a try. Thanks!

#65: I loved the Bone series. I liked it so much that I went out and bought the 1-volume edition that has all 9 of the Bone books in it.

That says a lot! Usually I don't make special buys unless it's something I just have to have and know it will be out of print soon. I don't go back to work until tomorrow, so I'll try and look for the Bone books then.

ETA: I had to fix the touchstone (it linked to something else entirely), but I was shocked at how many books are in that series. I've only seen half a dozen at work. Maybe we have the rest at other branches. Thanks again! :)

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 7, 2010, 4:55pm.

#67: The story starts out as a fairly straightforward one - three cousins getting lost - and rapidly evolves into a more complex one. I hope you get a chance to read all the Bone books, Sara. I will be interested in seeing what you think of them.

You won't believe this, but every copy we have @ this branch is checked out, so I wasn't able to even flip through it on my break. I'll just have to place some holds.

#69: Ah, someone has discovered how good the books are!

23) Falling Up by Shel Silverstein
Read: Feb. 11 - 13
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Millie McDeevit screamed a scream // So loud it made her eyebrows steam. // She screamed so loud // Her jawbone broke, // Her tongue caught fire, // Her nostrils smoked... Poor Screamin' Millie is just one of the unforgettable characters in this wondrous new book of poems and drawings by the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. Here you will also meet Allison Beals and her twenty-five eels; Danny O'Dare, the dancin' bear; the Human Balloon; and Headphone Harold. So come, wander through the Nose Garden, ride the Little Hoarse, eat in the Strange Restaurant, and let the magic of Shel Silverstein open your eyes and tickle your mind.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, humor, poetry, picture book
My Notes: I find it impossible that I have an unread/unrated Shel Silverstein book in my library; but this one did come out many, many years after I was in elementary school (in '96), so no wonder. For some reason, I felt like re-reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz after reading this book, probably because of the b&w illustrations (not as good as Stephen Gammell's, of course) and some of the scarier stories here, eg, "Haunted" (...house), "Long Scarf" (decapitated character), etc. (LT predicted I "probably would like" Falling Up. How odd. I loved it.)

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 13, 2010, 2:59am.

24) Away Laughing on a Fast Camel by Louise Rennison
Read: Feb. 17 - 28
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: The saga of teenager Georgia Nicolson continues in diary entries about her life after her boyfriend goes off to Kiwi-agogoland, leaving her to make do without him.
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, series, diaries, england, humor, confessions of georgia nicolson, romance, friendship, cats, family life
My Notes: So much for sticking with books I'm already reading, but it's Georgia Nicolson for cripe's sake (one of my favorite series)! It's been nearly 2 years since I last read one of her books and could find this affordable copy (phew! what a horrible wait). Obviously, this one was tres, tres amusant. Love the non-words Georgia makes up, including the British slang that is glossarized in the back of the book. This is not a series you necessarily want to read out of order (or wait 2 years between books either). There were a few of Georgia's female friends I couldn't keep straight, but I think that was my fault (2 years hiatus and a memory like Swiss cheese).

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 28, 2010, 8:31pm.

Well, my local library has exactly 1 book in the series and it is overdue, which means it could be a day overdue or 6 years overdue, who knows? I guess I will wait and see if it ever comes back in!

What's that, the Bone or Cirque du Freak books? Either way, 6 years is waaay too long to wait for any book. You might want to do the online book-swap thing or even an inter-library loan. Or even buy it if you're feeling rich. ;)

No, the Georgia Nicolson books.

Oh, Georgia... my comfort read when life gets rough... I need to reread the series this year, my Georiga-esque vocab has slipped and I used to use it all the time! I can't wait until the newest one is out in paperback so I can read it!

#75: That sucks, especially since we have so many, we've had to keep a few copies in the back room. I'd pass them on to you, but I don't think that'd fly here at work, my just mailing out library books. ;) But good luck in finding a copy!

#76: my Georiga-esque vocab has slipped -- Mine too, though I still refer to the bathroom as the Poo Parlour. :D I'm glad someone else loves her books as much as I do!

Couple Where-You-At? Updates:

1) I flipped through Cirque Du Freak: The Manga, Vol. 2: The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan earlier this week at work (it was the only one in), but I didn't check it out. Why not, you ask, since I obviously like the series so far? Well, 1: it might've ruined the original novel version of The Vampire's Assistant for me since I began and ended the series (so far) with A Living Nightmare. And 2: I must be in Japanese/Korean manga mode, because I immediately turned to the right section of the book. :D* Plus the b&w illustrations just didn't live up to how I imagined Darren and others looking like, etc. It's probably the same complaint most readers have when books are made into movies. But I just thought it was worth mentioning, since I started last year including books I partially read (usually from work), even if I don't finish 'em. So here's Notable Half-Read #1:



I'm still waiting to flip through some Bones books by Jeff Smith. There's just not a whole heckuva lot of time to read at work, which is ironic considering I work in a library! But I guess they pay me to work, not read. (eye roll) Imagine that. ;)

2) I probably won't be adding any new reads for awhile (maybe till March), because I'm still finishing up a few books from last year, as well as a few from above (whichever ones have "currently reading" in the Read section).

---

ETA: *After re-flipping through it, I guess it is manga-sytle (right to left), but I must've been in a hurry and assumed it was Americanized (left to right). Ah well, my mistake.

Message modifié par son auteur, Mar 2, 2010, 1:04pm.

good luck finishing your books :-)
Anita

Thanks, Anita, I'll definitely need it! :) I've gone days without picking up a book (not good!), so I need to just sit down one evening with a megadose of caffeine and finish off at least one book a night (ha ha & ha! maybe 1/4 a book is more doable).

I'm such a liar--I snuck this one in before the end of Feb. But it's a picture book, and it's got monsters, so I just had to read it.

---

25) Monster Museum by Marilyn Singer
Read: Feb. 26 - 26
My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Come in--if you dare--and meet the werewolf, Count Dracula, the mummy, and some of their slimy, screaming, slithering friends. They're just dying to show you a good time!
My Tags: fiction, juvenile, horror, picture book, poetry, mummies, vampires, monsters, werewolves, zombies, unicorns, ghosts, museums, fairy tales
My Notes: So many monsters in just 40 measly pages--I love it! The illustrations are amusing (ie, the students disappearing between pages by lurking monsters); and the "Glos-scary" was helpful, because even I don't remember every monster, in particular the Greek ones: chimera, cockatrice, etc. Perfect for Halloween.

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 27, 2010, 6:52pm.

New thread for books #26-50 (part 2): http://www.librarything.com/topic/85860 .

the touchstone for Monster Museum goes to Alfed Hitchcock's book :-(
I found the right one, but not available here.

My Chow Chimay was named after Chimera, not only a monster but it means also "creation of the fancy"

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 27, 2010, 6:21pm.

Oops, thanks for letting me know about that, Anita. I usually forget to check if the links actually go to the right book/author or not. The title's now corrected.

I didn't know that's what chimera meant. It's been so long since I studied Greek mythology; I really should read some of my old folklore/mythology books.

I love Greek mythology, all our female Chow Chows had names that come from Greek mythology: Pandora, Callisto, Chimay and Eoos :-)

Those are cool names. I usually let other people name my pets, since I'm not very imaginative with names. I just end up calling them "sweetie" or "kitty" or something.

thanks Sara
It was a theme and we sticked to it.
And those kind of nicknames are used here too, not "kitty" of course ;-)
Chimay is big red, girl, sweetie, mom, wise girl, greedy...
Eoos, youngster, small (red), don't bark, cuddly
but then in Dutch.

Message modifié par son auteur, Fév 28, 2010, 5:47pm.

Don't Bark, huh? Ha! :) I think all of my critters have been "Nooo!" at some point and time. They seem to respond to that one, except when they're stealing my food or in mid-piddle.

I know they're cats but not dogs but ours are mostly called:

Trouble, brats, monsters, little monsters, stop it, grrrrr, off!

#89: LOL! Even better.