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hoping to get all this year's books posted before Dec 31st.

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now only about 20 behind:P

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I may as welll get all caught up on my book posting:P

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work, band, sick, slow reading:P that about sums it all up:P

86 The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
this was different from the previous ones, in that less time is spent figuring out the murder, and more time on the people and intrigue they create. Very interesting though, and i can't wait to see where Flavia goes next!

87 Frog Music by Emma Donoghue
i felt really drawn in to the characters, very quickly. The mystery part of the murder mystery isn't the strongest, but still enjoyable, and also doesn't feel like the most important part of the book by any means:) I also really liked the notes at the back, even if one in particular kinda affects how i feel about the ending. I also really enjoy Donoghue's versatility and her (and her publishers') willingness to write many different things.

88 Forests of the Night by David Stuart Davies
oops, didn't write a review for this, but i did quite like it

89 Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
real characters, well -written, relevant and yet not often adressed issues. I really felt for and could sympathize with Rafe, even when i was angry and frustrated with him.

90 Omens (Cainsville #1) by Kelley Armstrong
This was creepy and spooky, with subtle, sinister magic/paranormal to it. It's definitely not a stand alone, although some things do get wrapped up or explained in it. i actually liked the short chapters of the POV of characters other than Olivia; as a reader, we know a bit more of the whole story, but not so much that it makes Olivia seem dumb or too naive. It was quite engrossing and i am very muh looking forward to the next one!

91 Calling on Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #3) by Patricia C. Wrede
this was funny and charming and exciting. I only don't like how much it seems dependent on reading the next one to complete the story, whereas the first 2 can stand on their own.

92 A Killer Plot (A Books by the Bay Mystery #1) by Ellery Adams
I didn't enjoy this as much as her other series, but still pretty good. I was slow to warm up to Olivia, but she's written that way, and warms up herself throughout the story. I enjoyed the mystery, as i'd kinda figured it out but there were lots of possibilties, red herrings, etc.

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but haven't been reading as much either. Or rather, it's taking me longer to read each book. so there've only been about a dozen books since last i posted.

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some day i'll get back on track on my ratio of books-i-already-own to library books too:P

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heaven't read quite as much the last few weeks, and definitely haven't really felt up to reviewing, but here are my latest:

67 Beach Babe (Babymouse #3) by Jennifer L Holm
cute. Babymouse is a bit obnoxious, but squeak is supersweet

68 Who Will Tell My Brother? by Marlene Carvell
I haven't read many novels in verse, but i liked this and found it easy to follow. I really felt for Evan, and felt like his "cause" and the reactions to it were realistic though heartbreaking. I'm really glad the author included the note at the end, so there was some hope;)

Trigger warning: the bullies kill the family dog, which i was not expecting and i almost threw up reading.

69 Deep Wizardry (Young Wizards #2) by Diane Duane
I found this quite slow to start off, but it picked up halfway through. i enjoyed it, even if i sometimes found it a little hard to follow or picture which sea creature was where. i quite liked the parts with her parents, and the struggles Nita has there.

70 How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern

71 Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black

72 A Function of Murder (Sophie Knowles #3) by Ada Madison

73 A Blink of The Screen: Collected Short Fiction by Terry Prachett
I haven't read much else of Prachett's, so I was a little lost in some of the Discworld stories. But i still enjoyed those, and half the books has non-discworld stories that i didn't feel (a bit) adrift in. I love how much character and humour he can put in his stories, even ones that are very short. I have the first Discworld book, and now i know which ones aren't part of the series, so I predict I will have more Prachett in my future;)

oops, this is a bit late! The computer had to go in for an update (courtesy of J's dad), then the monitor died and it took a couple days to find a new one (free from J's brother), then I got the flu:( Hence, not being online for a while!

This flu was a nasty one:( It hit really quick and was very very painful! The only good thing is that it seems to go pretty quickly- I started feeling sick around 1pm friday, had a nap, spent most of the evening and night in the bathroom and was pretty much better by morning. J got hit with it today though, and i'm not sure it's going as quickly for him:(

Other than that, not much out of the ordinary has been going on. We got hit with a few big-ish snow storms in the past ~10 days, but things are getting cleared up and it's nice and mild and pretty out now:P

Oh, i found a new little cafe that has delicious homemade bread and super nice owners! I almost regret putting jam on my toast this morning, coz the bread was so good and its taste kinda got covered up:P That was my first time there, but i'll be trying it out again i'm sure (it's pretty much on my way to work, and now that things are milder, I can walk to it more;)).

I saw The Lego Movie this week- I was surprised at how much i enjoyed it!:P I mostly went coz my friend really wanted to see it, but I ended up really liking it:) And that song might be really annoying and earworm-y, but it's also silly and puts me in a good mood:P

And i've been reading lots of books, of course:) ( Read more...Collapse )

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ugh:( feeling very cruddy right now. It started last night (although I've had a headache for a few days) and seems to have settled in my throat and upper chest. When i called in sick to work today (which i hated doing), all I got out was "hi, It's Virginia" and my co-worker went "oh, you're not feeling well." like it was a confirmed fact, not at all a question:P I went back to bed for a bit, and am now taking my second dose of asthma meds (i usually only take 2 a day, but can take up to 4; this will be a 4 day). I'm also not going to band tonight (somehow, clarinet and respiratory illness don't mix well:P).

I'm a little frustrated at being sick because i finally decided to have an open house this weekend for my bday and our new apt, and i'm still trying to get unpacked and ready for that! i'm hoping i have enough energy to get at least some done with J tonight after he gets home from school.

But my tea cupboard is full, and our house is warm, and at least I am not too sick to read! I am way ahead of where i "should" be to read 180 books this year (good, so if i go to school in the fall, i have some leeway):) And i've been managing to maintain my goal of having 1/3 of the books be ones i already own (by a little bit cheating and reading short kids books, but it still counts!):)

29/10 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
i love those delicious puns and plays-on-words, and sweet, sturdy Tock:) A neat adventure with learning and growing along the way (or rather, being the adventure). I probably would've gotten more out of it when I was younger, or more of a reluctant learner/reader.

30 And Nothing But The Truth by Kit Pearson
very good coming of age story, with a few more big, not often talked about issues. I really liked how realistically things were handled, esp (Polly's) complicated feelings. I liked the epilogue but do fell it detracted a bit from the story; A whole other book could've been made of it, and instead it was wrapped up neatly in one page. Nevertheless, Kit Pearson remains one of my favorite children's authors:)

31 Our Hero (Babymouse #2) by Jennifer L Holm
cute and funny. Babymouse has such a great imagination!:)

32 Owly, Vol. 1: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer by Andy Runton
so sweet and heartfelt, and all without uttering a word!

33 Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock
I really liked this. Intriguing and complex and thoughtful, with strong characters. I did feel Sherlock felt older than 13, maybe more like 16, but can justify that with time period, circumstances, etc (i just had to consciously think about that, so it didn't feel as natural). I also like that Peacock didn't shy away from the grittier or harder avenues that were important to the story, although he did so in a way that they were still appropriate to the targeted reader's age.

34 A Skeleton in the Family (Family Skeleton Mystery #1) by Leigh Perry
this was a neat, refreshing cozy mystery. I really liked the humour and the tiny slice of supernatural (Sid). I even didn't mind the first-person present-tense too much:P I did find the foreshadowing at the end of each chapter a bit annoying as the book went on, but it wasn't a big issue.

35/11 The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle
very funny, and impressive how much story can fit into 4 steps;) A+ for illustrations:D

36/12 Elephi, the Cat With the High IQ by Jean Stafford
very cute and clever and sweet

(please note i have more thoughts on the last 2, but read and review them last night when getting sick:P)

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ooops! this week has gotten away from me:S but now i have a day off and can catch up on quite a few things:)

( In this case, it's book posting:PCollapse )

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yup, i've read 134 books so far this year, so this post will put me at the half-way point for posting them:P Not at all near my goal of never-being-more-than-10-behind, but at least i'm catching up *fingers crossed* before the new year, which will be an improvement on last year at least;P

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J and i found an apartment we like, and will be moving in soon (probably have a big moving day next weekend). We ran into a few issues that've prevented us from moving in, but the landlord is being good about taking care of them, and we are overlapping the 2 places for the month of Dec, so it could be a lot worse:P

My days do feel pretty busy though, with packing and cleaning for the move, and with all the other stuff that's going on. The major stressors that started the end of October are still here, although i'm coping better in a lot of ways:) Christmas is always a busy time with family and friends. I'm figuring it out though, and specifically planning time for myself, and pacing myself, so i should be ok;)

i'm waay behind on book posting though, so ( here we goCollapse )

thought about doing more, but i'm hungry, so 10'll do for now;)

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i've tried to write this about 3 times now, but everytime something interferes before i get very far (last night it was pictures of pretty horses, so it's not always bad things, but more often a time-suck thing:P). I am going with J to look at an apartment soon, but i will sneak in a few more books while i have a good chance;)

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31/ 1 of 40 (yes, my first one for my read-40-i-already-own challenge)

read for books1001

This is definitely not "high literature", but it's a fun adventure, and certainly has had a large impact on (our) culture, so it's a worthwhile read. It has a LOT of problems with sexism, racism, classism, anthropomorphication, and you also need a bit of suspension of disbelief regarding how quickly Tarzan learns everything from reading to English customs, but if you can just let yourself say "ok, for the author and the sake of the story, i'll ignore [or accept] these things", you'll get a really good story:) And Burroughs does make some pointed social commentary, esp. on the roles of women and marriage, that i enjoyed:) I was amused by the humour that came out once Tarzan got with the "civilized" white people, and that part also picked up the pacing quite a bit. The love story between Tarzan and Jane is as quick and unrealistic as a modern Harlequin at first, but that changes when they meet again out of the jungle, and I prefer the way it develops then. (note, not bashing Harlequins, please don't eat me) I quite liked the ending and was pleasantly surprised by the book as a whole. I feel it's earned a place in the top 1001 books to read, if only because of cultural significance, but it's an enjoyable book too:)

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Spring seems to have arrived here:) it's been very mild and sunny the past few days, and it's almost too warm for my winter coat (except first thing in the morning when i'm going home from work):) A lot of the snow has melted and the (wet, soggy) grass is showing, which jsut makes me impatient for the lawn to be clear and it to be warm enough to take the bunnies out;P

Seems like this part if the year is off to a good start:) I had a really good follow up appointment with the dentist; the dental assistant (? did my cleaning) said she was "really excited" by the improvement:P i may need to see an orthodontist, coz my bottom teeth are pushing against my top ones, wearing down the bottom ones and loosening my top one:S but it's not too bad yet, so i'm holding off:P

Oh, I double checked the date on my beginner's license, and it doesn't expire til *next* year!:) i didn't realize it was a 2 year thing now that it's a graduated license. So yay, i don't need to re-write and pay for it:P and now that snow's clearing up, maybe i can get out driving more:)

J had an interview this morning for a stock position, and he says it went really well:) i'm really glad! he put out a bunch of applications and resumes last week, and i'm really hoping it'll pay off!! *fingers crossed*

i've been reading a lot, as usual:P i got another shift at the library just as i was finishing the last batch of books, and my willpower's not that strong, so i came home with a little pile again:P I did make it til half-way through my shift before i got any though, and i put some back, so i'm working on it:P And i have read 1 for my books-i-already-own challenge (it's also my most recent assignment for 1001books)! i'm working on another, but it's quite big, and i'm kinda picking away at it, so it'll be a little while:P esp. with the library books, and i couldn't resist buying a couple of new books (final in a series i'm reading, and a new Charles de Lint book [which promptly insisted i ignore all others and read it first:P])

Some games i usually play while on facebook aren't working for me right now, and it's a little annoying, but then i'm also realizing how much time i waste on them! it'd be ok if i was doing something else while playing them, but i was spending probably a couple hours a day just on these little silly things! So now i think i'll just leave it be, not figure out how to make them work again, and spend that time reading, updating livejournal, cleaning, and otherwise feeling more productive;P

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I know, it's really bad of me not to have posted reviews of ARCs as soon as i'd read them! but better late than never right?:S

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phew! done jsut in time to get back to work:P

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ok, well there's a few, and i'm within 10 of what i've read, so time for me to get back to work:P

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So i only brought one book to work tonight, because it was a fair size, i was just starting it, and i was quite excited to read it, and thought i'd get into it well. Only, turns out Lev Grossman's The Magician King is a sequel, and i haven't read The Magicians yet. I don't know if i *have* to read The Magicians first, but i feel like it will spoil it if i don't. So, catching up on facebook and livejournal it is:P

Things have been going pretty well overall. J and I had a few great days in a row this week:) We finally made it to the pool, and he re-taught me how to float:) (it was all good until i got excited i was floating and sat up fast and went under:P But that was the only real mishap:P) We spent some good, relaxing time together, but still got things done around the house. He put in an application, and i'm bugging him to put in more:P But one's better than none! I got paid today, and we paid bills and got groceries, and joy-of-joys, this is a 3 paycheck month, so we should be ok:) Also, i'll be doing our taxes soon, and we should get a fair sized refund, which means we can pay off some of our debt:D (owing money really stresses me out)

Things are ok health-wise. I always have issues with my asthma this time of year, and we've had a lot of fluctuation in temp and humidity this winter. It's actually been relatively mild, which is harder for me:P I got a bad flu bug last week, but thankfully it only lasted a couple of days. But really, it could be a lot worse:) And i'm walking and taking the bus (which means a little walk) more, and J and i are going to be going to the pool at least once every two weeks:) (i and up to 3 family members can go free, through my work)

I've gotten to the Humane Society to volunteer a couple of times:) Looks like that's gonna be about every 2 weeks to, coz of my work schedule. I like it a lot:) I've kinda been avoiding the dog floor, since they have quite a few volunteers there, and also coz i'm afraid that i'll fall for a dog and really want it:P I can handle not taking home cats, and we have the 2 buns at home, so visiting with the small animals is fine for me, but i have a weakness for dogs:P but i'm also willing to help out where-ever they need me, so if they're short there, i'll do it:P Last time, i boxed up used toner cartridges (people donate them, the shelter sends them to get recycled/refilled, and gets money) for an hour!:P but it saves a shelter staff having to spend that hour doing it, when they need to do other stuff volunteers can't:)

I'm really excited about band:) I've actually missed quite a few practices this winter (health issues, mostly), but it's the lower level one, so i can catch back up very easily:P There are certainly some things i need to work on still, but for the most part i'm awesome!:P We tried out a new piece this week, and i was the only 1st part, and i did really good:D i like that i'm not stressing about it, and i'm quite proud of my playing, but i'm still challenged often enough:) Next fall i might move back up, but for now i'm very happy at the level i'm in:)

As for other goals, i've driven a little more, but my beginners is expired, so i'll have to rewrite that before i can do much more. I'll probably take the money for it out the tax refund, so it shouldn't be too long before i can work on it again:)
Still no travel fund, but i'm not surprised:P J needs to get a job and we need to pay off debts before we really start that. But hopefully that will also not be very long in the making:P

As for book goals, all of the 26 books i've read so far this year have come from the library:P Great for the library, and me not spending money on books, but not so good for my read-books-i-have goal:P but it seems everytime i work at the library, i pick up an armful:P However, i will exert more willpower there, and not take home any when i return these, and while i will request a few (the nexts in series i'm reading), they'll probably take a bit to come in, so i can work on some i already own:P My library pile is fairly small (only 4 left now i think), and i read a lot when i'm working nights, so it shouldn't take me long to get through those:P
if i've read 26 books, i'm obviously behind again on my posting goal:P *BUT* i'll make a book post next, and that'll help me out;P and i'm only about 14 behind, so it should be too hard to at least get within my "acceptable" range, with a little breathing room:P

so, off i go;)

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i know! posts 2 days in a row! i don't expect this to become a trend, but i really am trying to get caught up and post more often:P

I got more sleep today:D i'm still a bit tired, and i won't get much sleep tomorrow since i'm working at the library too, but i'll take it:P

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and now, i am only 9 books behind, so within my goal range finally!:P and jsut in time to get back to work:P