Sita's Book Blog

I've Sort of Moved Cyber Homes

2011-01-18T21:34:00.001-08:00

You may (or may not) have noticed that I seldom blog here anymore. The reason for that is that I'm not really sure what I was setting out to do with this blog. At first, the idea was that it would be a book blog and I would use it to record all of the books I'm reading, but Goodreads does a great job of that (click my link and you'll be taken to my profile).

For the past few months, my book club girls and I have been working on a new blog that is all about our in-person book club. We're pretty proud of what we have so far, but there are still lots of things we want to do with it. First we have to learn how to do those things, and secondly we have to actually do them.

So please take a moment (or two) to check out my new blog. It's a lot prettier than this one, and has more content. It also features the writing talents of two other individuals.

Future hopes for us are author interviews, giveaways (sponsored by us, so we can't do much, but we'll certainly try hard to make them drool worthy), local bookstore reviews, and more.

Please check it out, and let me know what you think of it! I've got a Contact Us link on one of the pages, so you can reach me through there if you are so inclined.

Maybe I Will Set a Goal...

2010-12-31T15:11:00.000-08:00

After reading an article about a YA book I read this past year, I've realized there are a great number of classical novels that I haven't read yet. So now I do have a goal in mind for next year. Each month of the year, I will read one book that I have had on my TBR for years that has great significance in the literary world. First up is...

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

This book has been nominated two different years in my book club, but it's never been a popular choice. I think I bought this book when the 1998 movie came out. It goes without saying that I am long over due to read this book!

What books fit this category on your TBR?

Hello, 2011!

2010-12-30T22:54:00.000-08:00

Looking back at the past year, I have read almost 230 books. That is a LOT of books. I've been checking out how other bloggers have done this year, and I think I'm on the high end of some of the numbers I've seen. Honestly, I don't know how I managed doing it, and I've no idea if I can repeat it in 2011.

A lot of people are setting new reading goals for the New Year, but I don't do that. I don't want to disappoint myself if I can't make them, and I just want to keep reading FUN. If the last two years are any indication, I keep outdoing myself, and I'll probably be pretty close to 230 next year. Maybe over, maybe under...we shall see!

But to be fair, this year I've read a lot of YA titles, and those can be finished in just a few hours. I had a few carry-overs from the previous year, which boosted my numbers early in January. I will have to carry over a few books to 2011 just because one of them is an enormous brick, and the others I've just barely started.

So how did you all do this past year with your reading goals, if you have them? What's your "game plan" for 2011?

September Dollar Tree Bargain Find

2010-09-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start a new feature on my underused blog that I hope you will all find interesting.

I live about a block away from a Dollar Tree and I have found that it's a good source for books. I'm an active swapper on paperbackswap.com and sometimes I want to play "Wish List Fairy" and share a brand new book with someone who's not expecting it! Brand new hardcovers for just a buck? You can't get much of a better deal than that.

Today was an unplanned trip while I was on my way to Chili's for lunch with my daughter and I decided to stop in since it is just a few buildings away from the restaurant. There were a lot of copies left from some of my previous purchases, but if I am patient enough I can almost always find something that looks interesting to me, or that might interest someone on paperback swap.

Why I want to read this: The cover really captured my attention. I love the feather floating on water and the sun shining through the clouds. I'm always happy to discover a stand-alone title that won't suck me into a series; I already read too many and there are still many more that I want to read.

What it's about:

From Publishers Weekly

Two worlds wrapped tight in gloomy gothic trappings vie for dominance in this engrossing, elaborately staged exploration of consciousness from O'Connell (The Skin Palace). Sweeney, an Ohio pharmacist, brings his comatose son, Danny, to the Peck Clinic, "a sandstone monster on fifty acres of private land near Quinsigamond's western border." Danny is all Sweeney lives for; he even studies the comic book Limbo, featuring a troupe of circus freaks led by the visionary Chick the chicken boy, for what his son may have imagined when his brain functioned normally. Like Stephen King in Richard Bachman mode, O'Connell digs for darkness as Chick and his companions, who inhabit the fantasy realm of Gehenna, encounter Dr. Lazarus Cole, "The Resurrectionist" (stoned to death only to walk again) and dread the inevitable showdown with their nemesis, "the mad doctor called Fliess," in his "enormous laboratory castle, the Black Iron Clinic." Meanwhile, in the real world, cultists kidnap Sweeney in hopes of using fluid from Danny's brain to transport them all to Gehenna. This strange brew is sure to enhance O'Connell's growing cult status.

I absolutely LOVE the idea of two worlds blurring into each other, and I'm a sucker for anything with a fantasy element. I can't wait to check out Jack O'Connell, and I hope now you want to as well!

Last Year vs. This Year

2010-09-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

As of August 31st, I beat my reading count for last year. There are 4 more months in 2010 and I have surpassed my own expectations for the reading I would accomplish. I figured it would stay around the same number of books I read in 2009, but I will have exceeded that by a generous number come the end of the year.

I am eager to see what the final total will be for the whole year! Is it even going to be possible to beat that number in 2011? Looking back, I read nearly a book a day in January. That's crazy! How on earth did I find the time?

In 2011, I will have a 3-year-old. I'm not sure how different that will be from a 2-year-old, or how that might affect my reading. By next year, my daughter will be speaking in more complex sentences. She will be wanting to spend even more time outside. Chances are I will have to scale back on this fun endeavor, but I'm certainly going to enjoy it while it lasts.

How many books have you read this year?

The Carrie Diaries Giveaway

2010-05-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

Sex and the City is absolutely one of my favorite TV shows EVER, and I'm so excited for the new book by Candace Bushnell called The Carrie Diaries.

If you'd like an opportunity to win a free copy of this exciting new release, head on over to Daisy Chain Book Reviews to enter now:

http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/competition-time-win-carrie-diaries-by.html

The giveaway ends on May 28th, so hurry before it ends!

Getting LOST in a Good Story

2010-05-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

You probably think I'm going to tell you about an amazing book, right? You're wrong. I'm going to tell you about amazing story-telling told in the form of a television show.

I finally gave in to a friend's insistence that I watch LOST and see for myself what has her so captivated. So just about 4 days ago now I began my own journey through the many seasons of LOST. I'm already on Season 2, and must admit that very little time has been devoted to sleeping, eating, and reading because of this show.

I wish I could remember where I was when the first episode aired. What was I doing instead of getting hooked on the show? What about it didn't appeal to me then that all of a sudden has now? Part of me thinks it was just the hype. EVERYONE was watching it. Well, "everyone" watches American Idol and I've never been fond of that show.

When I watch LOST, I analyze it much like I do when I read a novel. I pay attention to the characters, especially their dialogue, and I make predictions about what the next "page" will have in store for me. It's too soon to say if I am right about anything, but I was pleased with myself for some revelations that I watched today.

There are these two characters, Kate and Jack. They obviously are attracted to one another, but have some differences that might get in their way. Jack is the classic "hero", always wanting to fix things and solve problems. He was a reluctant hero at first, but has now grown into his role. Kate is a bit broken, and admires Jack. He is everything she wants to be, but doesn't know how to be. And then there's a third character, Sawyer. He outwardly displays all of his emotions (except for his obvious love for Kate) and Kate is both attracted to him yet repulsed by him.

All of this information about these characters was expertly portrayed through their words and body language. I loved analyzing them to death. I probably dream about them too.

So if I read less this month and someone out there is actually paying attention, you now know why. It's going to be a thin month for read books. If all television was as enticing as this piece of juicy fruit TV, I probably wouldn't spend my time reading ink on dead trees. :-)

Sita: The Last Vampire

2010-03-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

"Vampsita" has been my online handle for years in some form or another. Maybe you used to play MONOPOLY on games.com and played against someone with the nickname "vampiresita". If you did, well, that was me. If you used to go into the WB chat rooms (which are now obsolete) and remember a "vampsita", well, that was me too.

Back when I was a pre-teen/teen, there was one vampire I loved more than any other: Sita. Nowadays, there are vampires by the thousands, it would seem. Go into any bookstore, browse the sci-fi/fantasy section and YA section, and you will be in vampire heaven. Vampires come and go from my book collection, but there is one who will always remain. Sita.

I can't tell you exactly why I love her so much, or any of Christopher Pike's books. I just do. So of course I am THRILLED that they have recently come back into publication and I was able to replace my very battered, yellowing paged copies with shiny new ones. I am even more over the moon to learn that "Weekend" and "Slumber Party" will soon be out in an omnibus. And my first-second favorite trilogy, too: "Remember Me".

It's a good day to be a Christopher Pike fan.

Princess Bookie has made my millenium by informing me that "The Last Vampire" is to be adapted into a feature film. After the disaster that was "Fall Into Darkness", I had little hope of ever seeing another of his books made into a movie. I have to wonder if whoever wrote the screenplay for that horrible TV film even bothered to read the book. And the ending, oh eww, the ending!!!!

I have very little love for the "Twilight" series, but I realize that Christopher Pike's triumphant return to bookshelves everywhere are due in part to the massive success of Ms. Meyer's beloved series. And so for that, I thank her.

And Christopher, wherever you are, welcome back!

Reading Habits

2010-01-22T00:33:00.000-08:00

This year I have started out really strong with reading. I've stuck with reading one book at a time instead of 3 or 4, I've really focused on the reading, and I've already completely read 20 books this year.

I was averaging about 1 book a day just by reading only 1 book at a time. If I hadn't been so easily distracted by other books during 2009, I probably would have gotten more reading accomplished. I didn't have a focus. I didn't have a goal, really. This year I did: to read as many books as possible.

Even though I'm about to break my streak, I think I deserve a break. In the next few days, I need to read not 1, but 2, Pulitzer Prize winners. When reading books that have won awards like the National Book Award, Booker Prize, Pulitzer, etc., I've found that I often do not enjoy those books.

It's not that I hate Olive Kitteridge, because I don't. I'm just not in the right frame of mind to read this book right now. I've been having so much fun just reading whatever struck my fancy, knowing I would get through it in a day and move on to my next adventure. If this wasn't required reading for book club, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't still be reading Olive Kitteridge.

Olive Kitteridge isn't a poorly written book, in my opinion. I think I would compare it to Joyce's Dubliners. Which I absolutely hated. For the record, I just really don't like short stories. And Olive Kitteridge is compiled of 13 short stories. Each time one starts and ends, I feel like I've just completed a whole novel and I just want to move on to the next author that's calling out to me.

So it was fun while it lasted. Maybe I will try this again next month and see how it goes. Perhaps looking at the smaller picture is a better idea, and worry about the whole year at the end of the year as I'm looking back. I've already accomplished what I feel is a lot of reading in 1 month. I've read more than most people have read in the last year, 2 years, or even 3 years. Some, probably more.

I'll be starting Elphame's Choice next, by P.C. Cast, whose Goddess Summoning series I completely adore. She's also quite fun to chat with!

2010 Book List

2010-01-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

Currently Reading:
The Distant Hours

Greywalker (Greywalker, bk. 1) by Kat Richardson 01/02/10
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo 01/03/10
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar 01/03/10
Truly, Madly: A Lucy Valentine novel by Heather Webber 01/04/10
The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran 01/05/10
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan 01/06/10
Blue Bloods (bk. 1) by Melissa de la Cruz 01/07/10
The Perilous Road by William O. Steele 01/07/10
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran 01/10/10
Coraline by Neil Gaiman 01/10/10
Carpe Demon (bk. 1) by Julie Kenner 01/11/10
Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding 01/12/10
Santa Cruise by Mary and Carol Higgins Clark 01/12/10
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm 01/13/10
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George 01/14/10
Naked Nun by M.E. Gardner 01/15/10
Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell 01/16/10
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent 01/18/10
Wish by Alexandra Bullen 01/20/10
Blue Moon (bk. 2) by Alyson Noel 01/21/10
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 01/24/10
The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx 01/28/10

January: 22

Elphame's Choice by P.C. Cast 02/01/10
The Chick and the Dead (Pepper Daniels, bk. 2) by Casey Daniels 02/03/10
Airhead (Nikki, bk. 1) by Meg Cabot 02/05/10
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen 02/06/10
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson, bk. 1) by Rick Riordan 02/08/10
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin 02/09/10
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick 02/10/10
Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn 02/11/10
In the Cut by Susanna Moore 02/12/10
Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead 02/13/10
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange 02/15/10
Prey (Werecats, bk. 4) by Rachel Vincent 02/16/10
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith 02/18/10
Fatherland by Robert Harris 02/19/10
Poison Study (bk. 1) by Maria V. Snyder 02/22/10
Heartache & Sin by Charles Soto 02/22/10
Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford 02/23/10

February: 17 Total: 39

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith 03/01/10
Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith 03/03/10
Hourglass (Evernight, bk. 3) by Claudia Gray 03/04/10
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent 03/05/10
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke 03/06/10
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston 03/07/10
Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus 03/08/10
Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet 03/09/10
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 03/11/10
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine 03/11/10
Being Nikki (Airhead, bk. 2) by Meg Cabot 03/12/10
The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen 03/15/10
Midnight Pearls by Debbie Viguie 03/15/10
Runaway (Airhead, bk. 3) by Meg Cabot 03/16/10
The Farthest-Away Mountain by Lynne Reid Banks 03/16/10
The Help by Kathryn Stockett 3/20/10
Last Breath (The Rayne Tour, bk. 2) by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins 3/21/10
Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster 3/22/10
Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt 3/23/10
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines 3/26/10
The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison 3/28/10
Austenland by Shannon Hale 3/28/10
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie 3/30/10

March: 23 Total: 62

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson 4/01/10
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees 4/02/10
Destiny Kills (Myth and Magic, bk. 1) by Keri Arthur 4/02/10
The Killing of Mindi Quintana by Jeffrey A. Cohen 4/04/10
The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice by Abigail Reynolds 4/07/10
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready 4/07/10
The Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy 4/08/10
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen 4/09/10
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson, bk. 2) by Rick Riordan 4/10/10
Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson 4/11/10
Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot 4/11/10
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall 4/13/10
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler 4/14/10
Shadowland (The Immortals, bk. 3) by Alyson Noel 4/15/10
The Cabinet of Wonders (The Kronos Chronicles, bk. 1) by Marie Kutkoski 4/15/10
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 4/17/10
The Diamond Secret by Suzanne Weyn 4/19/10
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett 4/20/10
Revealers by Amanda Marrone 4/20/10
Stardust by Neil Gaiman 4/21/10
Iron Kissed (Mercedes Thompson, bk. 3) by Patricia Briggs 4/23/10
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi 4/24/10
Graceling by Kristin Cashore 4/26/10
Holes by Louis Sachar 4/27/10
A Thousand Sisters by Lisa J. Shannon 4/28/10

April: 25 Total: 87

Between Two Kingdoms by Joe Boyd 5/03/10
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall 5/12/10
Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow 5/14/10
The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer 5/17/10
Life After Yes by Aidan Donnelley Rowley 5/20/10
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson 5/23/10
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner 5/23/10
Innocence by Jane Mendelsohn 5/23/10
The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch 5/24/10
Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster 5/26/10
Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding 5/28/10
Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster 5/29/10
Insatiable by Meg Cabot 5/31/10

May: 13 Total: 100

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares 6/02/10
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen 6/02/10
The Mermaid Summer by Mollie Hunter 6/02/10
Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely, bk. 3) by Melissa Marr 6/03/10
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks 6/04/10
Immortal by Gillian Shields 6/05/10
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult 6/07/10
Life of Pi by Yann Martel 6/08/10
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen 6/08/10
Starlighter (Dragons of Starlight, bk. 1) by Bryan Davis 6/09/10
Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James 6/10/10
Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus 6/11/10
Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid, bk. 4) by Richelle Mead 6/14/10
The Reincarnationist (The Reincarnationist, bk. 1) by M.J. Rose 6/15/10
Personal Demon (Women of the Otherworld, bk. 8) by Kelley Armstrong 6/18/10
The Memory Sisters by Alice Hoffman 6/19/10
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows 6/21/10
Shift (Werecats, bk. 5) by Rachel Vincent 6/24/10
Archangel (Samaria, bk. 1) by Sharon Shinn 6/24/10
Red Azalea by Anchee Min 6/26/10
Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey 6/27/10

June: 21 Total: 121

Bonobo Handshake by Vanessa Woods 7/01/10
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan 7/02/10
After the Fall by Kylie Ladd 7/07/10
Living with the Dead (Women of the Otherworld, bk. 9) 7/09/10
Fallen Vol. I by Thomas E. Sniegoski 7/12/10
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 7/15/10
The Memorist (The Reincarnationist, bk. 2) by M.J. Rose 7/16/10
Forget You by Jennifer Echols 7/18/10
And One Last Thing... by Molly Harper 7/19/10
Cheat the Grave (Sign of the Zodiac, bk. 5) by Vicki Pettersson 7/22/10
The Hypnotist (The Reincarnationist, bk. 3) by M.J. Rose 7/22/10
Alexis: My True Story by Alexis Singer 7/23/10
Hidden Wives by Claire Avery 7/24/10
Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, bk. 1) by Kim Harrison 7/25/10
Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors 7/27/10
Learning to Lose by David Trueba 7/28/10
Darkfever (Fever, bk. 1) by Karen Marie Moning 7/31/10

July: 17 Total: 138

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger 8/04/10
The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark 8/07/10
Waking the Witch (The Otherworld series, bk. 11) by Kelley Armstrong 8/09/10
Out of the Shadows by Joanne Rendell 8/11/10
The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison 8/12/10
One Season of Sunshine by Julia London 8/15/10
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian 8/18/10
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher 8/18/10
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick 8/20/10
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls 8/22/10
Coming Home by Mariah Stewart 8/24/10
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 8/25/10
Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead 8/27/10
Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz 8/29/10
In the Woods by Tana French 8/29/10
Dracula in Love by Karen Essex 8/30/10
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George 8/31/10

August: 17 Total: 155

Home Again by Mariah Stewart 9/02/10
Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel 9/04/10
The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay 9/06/10
Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay 9/07/10
The Darkest Edge of Dawn by Kelly Gay 9/08/10
Stash by David Klein 9/08/10
The Making of a Gentleman by Shana Galen 9/10/10
The Last to Die by Kate Brady 9/12/10
The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult 9/12/10
My Lost Daughter by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg 9/16/10
Meet Me in Manhattan by Judith Arnold 9/18/10
Faefever by Karen Marie Moning 9/20/10
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead 9/21/10
Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay 9/25/10
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 9/25/10
Forever Lily by Beth Nonte Russell 9/27/10
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult 9/29/10
The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant 9/30/10

September: 19 Total: 173

Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn 10/05/10
Enchanting the Lady by Kathryne Kennedy 10/07/10
I Remember You by Harriet Evans 10/08/10
Tombs of Endearment by Casey Daniels 10/09/10
Heart with Joy by Steve Cushman 10/10/10
Masquerade by Nancy Moser 10/12/10
The Dead Zone by Stephen King 10/12/10
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough 10/13/10
Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber 10/14/10
Afterlife by Claudia Gray 10/15/10
Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot 10/17/10
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler 10/18/10
Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis 10/18/10
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton 10/22/10
What Alice Knew by Paula Marantz Cohen 10/23/10
Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica 10/24/10
The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder 10/25/10
The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman 10/26/10
The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate 10/28/10
Dark Flame by Alyson Noel 10/29/10
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella 10/30/10
Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough 10/31/10

October: 22 Total: 195

Heidegger's Glasses by Thaisa Frank 11/03/10
The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos 11/04/10
Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley 11/05/10
Dark Divine by Bree Dispain 11/06/10
Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans 11/07/10
The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker 11/07/10
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson 11/12/10
Night Star by Alyson Noel 11/12/10
Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell 11/15/10
A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn 11/17/10
The Icing on the Cake by Alison Kent 11/19/10
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley 11/19/10
Thirst No. 1 by Christopher Pike 11/21/10
Empty by Suzanne Weyn 11/21/10
When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer 11/28/10
Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning 11/29/10
The New York Regional Mormon Halloween Singles Dance by Elna Baker 11/30/10

November: 17 Total: 212

The Naked Gardener by LB Gschwandtner 12/05/10
Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton 12/05/10
The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green 12/07/10
Matched by Ally Condie 12/08/10
Wings by Aprilynne Pike 12/09/10
Just One Wish by Janette Rallison 12/09/10
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead 12/15/10
StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce 12/17/10
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead 12/20/10
The Road by Cormac McCarthy 12/22/10
Radiance by Alyson Noel 12/23/10
The Deathday Letter by Shaun David Hutchinson 12/24/10
Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog 12/25/10
Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen 12/26/10
Juliet by Anne Fortier 12/26/10
Dark Parties by Sara Grant 12/28/10
This Side of Crazy by Kimmie Thomas 12/28/10
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand 12/31/10

December: 18 Total: 230

Claire LaZebnik Giveaway!

2009-10-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Vera over at luxuryreading.com is giving away 5 copies of Claire LaZebnik's novel, "The Smart One and the Pretty One".

From Booklist
Ava is the smart sister, an L.A. lawyer who hasn’t dated in years. Lauren is the pretty sister, an unemployed New York stylist buried in debt. Lauren returns to L.A. when their mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. Between chauffeuring her to chemo appointments, Lauren finds an old “contract” betrothing Ava to Russell, the son of family friends, and decides a reunion is in order. Though Ava finds herself uncharacteristically falling for Russell, she can’t believe a man would choose her over her glamorous sister. She nearly lets her skepticism ruin her shot at love until Lauren meddles again. LaZebnik, author of Knitting under the Influence (2006), writes a funny and endearing novel that truly captures the devotion and rivalry between sisters. Whether they relate to the smart one or the pretty one (or both), readers will find this book irresistible. --Aleksandra Walker

Here's the link to Vera's giveaway:

http://www.luxuryreading.com/2009/10/review-and-giveaway-smart-one-and.html

Suzanne Collins Giveaway--Catching Fire

2009-09-06T18:13:00.001-07:00

The much anticipated follow-up to "Hunger Games" is finally here! Enter for your chance to win a copy of "Catching Fire," a limited edition T-shirt, and a collectible mocking jay pin at luxuryreading.com.

Here's a link:

http://www.luxuryreading.com/2009/09/giveaway-catching-fire-by-suzanne.html

Cleopatra's Daughter/Heretic Queen Giveaway

2009-09-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Go to luxuryreading.com for a chance to win signed copies of "Cleopatra's Daughter" and "Heretic Queen" by Michelle Moran.

Here's the link:

http://www.luxuryreading.com/2009/08/giveaway-cleopatras-daughter-heretic.html

Cindy's Contest

2009-08-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Cindy is hosting one of the biggest giveaways I have ever seen! If you want to win ARCs of upcoming YA releases and an official copy of "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins, head over to:

http://cutelittlecindy.blogspot.com

The contest is open through August 24th.

My Longed For Next Great Read

2009-08-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

What elements does a book need in order to be sought out, lusted after, and generally longed for like nothing Olive Garden has to offer for you?

Enchanting, says Amazon Best of the month. A touch of mystery, says Booklist. And who doesn't remember telling scary stories with their friends? Ok, maybe not about Jack the Ripper, like the kids in Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. (In case you haven't guessed, the book I'd love to read is Forgotten Garden.)

But the strongest appeal to me for this book is its interweavings of The Secret Garden, a much beloved children's story that I could read again and again.

Cindy's Giveaway

2009-06-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

Check out my pal Cindy's "Twilight" and more giveaway at her blog:

http://cutelittlecindy.blogspot.com

Jodi Picoult

2009-05-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I tried a book called "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. That was November or December in 2008. I'm one of those people that can't read the same author back to back. Consider my love/hate relationship with Anne Rice; it's like pulling teeth to make it through one of her books. I needed at least a year or longer in between reading her Vampire Chronicles. I started them when I was 18. 8 years later and I still haven't finished the series. I've thrown the towel in and will be giving all the hardbacks I collected over the years in anticipation of finishing the series to my mother-in-law, who loves Anne Rice.

And then there's Jodi Picoult. Since December I've read "Plain Truth" and "Songs of the Humpback Whale." Today I just started "Salem Falls." When I finish one of her books, I'm eager to start another. I have enough of her books to keep me busy for a few weeks. But once those are gone, I've got nothing left.

Some would say that Jodi's books are formulaic, and maybe they are. She writes what works best for her, what comes naturally. And I can appreciate that. I love the way her characters are flawed and complex, raw and oh so very human.

I know she's good. Otherwise I wouldn't be planning a year before I'm ready to read another.

"The Gathering" by Anne Enright

2009-05-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

For 40 years, the Man Booker Prize has been presented to an Irish novelist for penning the best novel of the year. The recipient is selected by book critics, other novelists/writers, and scholars. Anne Enright, a little known author of 4 previous novels, gained glowing praise and recognition for her writing when she received the 2007 Book Prize for "The Gathering."

"The Gathering" is written in the first person from the perspective of middle-aged Veronica Hegarty, who contemplates the past, present, and future in the aftermath of her brother Liam's suicide. Veronica is assigned the task of bringing home her brother's body so the rest of her family can pay their respects.

The novel sloppily moves from the present to the past and then back again as Veronica begins to remember past events from Liam's life that may or may not have happened, which may or may not have been the catalyst for Liam's desperate and selfish action.

Though Liam's alleged sexual abuse as a child is the reason why Veronica decides to put her thoughts to paper, he is only mentioned sparingly throughout the novel. The majority of her thoughts center around her unhappy marriage with Tom and an unreliable account of family history.

Only 260 pages long, "The Gathering" proved to be a tedious read. The ending was very unsatisfying, leaving one to ponder what swayed the judges to honor this novel over several other appealing choices.

Chasing Rainbows

2009-05-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

How many times have you read the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? What's that, you say? You haven't? Well, don't you think it's about time you do?

I saw the movie long before I ever read the book. And then one Christmas my parents gifted me a beautiful hardcover of The Wizard of Oz. At the time it seemed such a huge book to read. Looking at it now (unfortunately not the same beautiful hardcover; I stupidly let someone borrow it and never got it returned. I found the same edition--I think, though the cover art seems different--at King's English and brought it home with me. I have a paperback Del Rey that I'll loan out if someone wants to read it.) it is a slim volume and takes just a day or two to read.

My dad, a teacher, often came home with oodles of Christmas treats from his students to show their appreciation for him. Among those goodies were jelly beans. While reading my beautiful new book I would eat jelly beans. The green ones particularly--every time I read the word "emerald", "green", or "Emerald city" I gleefully popped a green jelly bean in my mouth.

I've left behind Never Land for the next Great Adventure, but I'll never forget this story that was so important in my childhood. I'm still waiting for someone who also shares my passion for this story to bring it to the big screen as it was meant to be seen: silver slippers rather than ruby slippers, the many deterrents the Wicked Witch of the West sent to stop Dorothy from reaching her domain, Dainty China Country (or was that in the third book? I can't remember!).

Billie Letts Book Giveaway

2009-05-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

Ever since reading "Where the Heart Is," I've been a fan of Billie Letts. I'd even count "Shoot the Moon" as one of my favorite reads of the year. I'm patiently waiting to get a copy of her latest, "Made in the U.S.A.", on paperbackswap.com but came across this free giveaway. You can find out about the drawing at the following blog:

http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/2009/04/contest-for-made-in-usa-by-billie-letts.html

Book Review: Forever Princess by Meg Cabot

2009-04-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

I started with The Princess Diaries a little late in life, at 19, when the first three books in the series had already been published. Several years Mia's senior, I still found it easy to relate to her high school trials and tribulations, her difficulty making friends, and her poor luck with attracting the man of her dreams.

Forever Princess is the riveting conclusion to this 10 book series. (For even more Princess Mia and Michael Moscovitz, check out the books that happen in between the whole numbered books!) Mia is just about to graduate high school, attend her senior prom, and part ways with her virginity. But things in Mia's life haven't gone exactly as planned--it's JP that Mia's in love with now (or is she?) and attending prom and the festivities after with. She's got a lot on her plate as she struggles with her birthday bash, her Grandmere's never-ending butting in, and Michael's permanent relocation to Manhattan.

I love this series, and this truly was the perfect ending. Thank you, Meg, for an unforgettable ride.

Mark Twain

2009-04-24T15:52:00.001-07:00

When I was little my maternal grandmother gave me a Readers' Digest hardcover of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer. I loved that book, reading it several times. I even bought another adaptation of it later on, which may have been an easier translation. That one I also read numerous times.

When I was in high school, I had to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for English class. I also enjoyed that book, though I have only read it that one time and my tastes might have changed since then.

For book club, we elected to read The Best Short Stories of Mark Twain. I'm not a fan. It's impossible for me to stay focused on the story I'm trying to read, as I imagine dozens of other books I'd rather read instead.

I don't really have a good argument for why I don't like these stories. I could probably count the number I've not minded reading on 2 fingers. So that's 2 stories out of 20 or so? Not a good percentage.

I wish I had something more prolific to say as to why I don't like Mark Twain short stories. I don't; I just think they are boring. Simple as that.

As for Tom Sawyer, I came to learn that Readers' Digest does some kind of editing to stories they publish, so what I read may not have been the story Mark Twain intended to tell. I have since ordered an actual NON Readers' Digest edition to see if I still enjoy this story.

Book Review: Stargazer by Claudia Gray

2009-04-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

So here I am again, writing a review for a book I haven't finished reading.

For those of you just tuning in, I am an avid reader of Young Adult fiction, in particular Paranormal YA fiction. A few months ago a friend let me borrow a book called Evernight by Claudia Gray. It had just the right combination of ingredients: romance, mystery, suspense, intrigue, and of course, paranormal.

Getting into the sophomore book in the series is proving quite a challenge. The twists and turns in her freshman book were aplenty, and I found myself wanting more. I couldn't wait to own a copy of the book. Just a few weeks ago, that came true. Since my opinion of the first book hasn't changed any, despite my gripes about Stargazer, I'll be adding it to my permanent collection as well.

It's probably good advice to not read book reviews when you are already reading the book. This can backfire on you for several reasons, including ruining key plot points; nothing will be a surprise after that. One reviewer on Amazon.com compared this book to Stephenie Meyer's sophomore book, New Moon. The reviewer has a very good case: Stargazer does indeed parallel the structure of New Moon. Not being a Twilight fan, I'm a little concerned for the future of this series. Will it continue to copycat Meyer's popular series, or will it get back on track?

Bored...So Very Bored...

2009-01-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

There must have been a reason that this book didn't make the final cut. And then I had to go and screw things up by wanting to read it so badly. I should have left it alone, because now I am truly bored.

"Friday Night Knitting Club"

2009-01-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

Normally I wouldn't write a review until I've finished a book, but I'm going to be a little different and write one halfway through. There isn't much I don't like about this book. A few word choices here and there that irk me, a character doing a dumb thing (but I admit, it's important to her individual story), the looming fact that something "bad" and irreversible is going to happen to one of these characters that I have come to love in the past few days. I only just started this book 2 or maybe 3 days ago, and I am whipping right through it, saddened at the thought that once it's over, I'll be moving on to some other book, and tragically not the sequel, because it's in hardcover and I'm on a book ban.

I had really hoped to read this for one of my book clubs, but the book fates had other plans in mind. I'm even a bit ashamed to admit I didn't vote for this book myself, though I had suggested it to the group. Too many other books caught my eye, and besides, I owned this one already and could read it any time I wanted. I'm even a bit tempted to start it over from the beginning, just to make it last longer. I know I won't; I'm on a mission to read as many books as I can handle in this one life. I know I'll read this book again someday. I have to.

Eternally yours,

Sita

If Heaven Were a Library...

2009-01-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

My afterlife would be set. But since there's a good chance it won't be, how does one choose what to read in one's short stay here?

I don't know, really. Some books are read because others tell us to read them, some because we've heard about them from others, and some we just pick up on a whim.

And then there's those "series" books. You know the ones. They are three inches deep, filled with sword fights and political disputes, espionage and romance. I'm currently sucked into one. But I'm taking my time. I don't force myself to spend time reading it; there's too many other things out there not worth missing. That might mean you'll see "Stone of Tears" on this list for a very long time. I'm not worried. I've been reading it a few months already, so what are a few more?

Eternally yours,

Sita

A Few Words About the Book List

2009-01-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

At the top of the page it says "Currently Reading." That will change as I start to finish books and start new ones. The date will also change as I begin new books. When I finish a book, I will remove it from "Currently Reading" and start a list lower on the page. Along with the title and author of the book, I will record the date the book was finished. It's not so much about how long the book takes me to read, but that I finish it at all.

Eternally yours,

Sita

The Book List

2009-01-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

Currently Reading
Greywalker
The Space Between Us

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova 01/01/09

Wicked by Gregory Maguire 01/03/09

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan 01/05/09

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge 01/07/09

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman 01/09/09

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs 01/10/09

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young 01/12/09

An Abundance of Katherines 01/16/09

Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind 01/21/09

The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman 01/24/09

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin 01/24/09

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult 01/26/09

Plainsong by Kent Haruf 01/27/09

Minion by L.A. Bank 01/30/09

The Graduate by Charles Webb 1/30/09

January: 15

Chocolat by Joanne Harris 02/01/09

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman 02/05/09

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 02/06/09

Gatsby's Girl by Caroline Preston 02/07/09

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 02/10/09

Mademoiselle Boleyn by Robin Maxwell 02/12/09

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri 02/13/09

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink 02/15/09

The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde 2/17/09

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young 2/22/09

Pandora by Anne Rice 2/23/09

What Shamu Taught Me about Life Love and Marriage by Amy Sutherland 2/25/09

February: 12

Eragon by Christopher Paolini 3/05/09

Envy by Anna Godbersen 3/05/09

Watchers in the Night by Jenna Black 3/10/09

Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels 3/11/09

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead 3/14/09

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach 3/22/09

Midnight's Daughter by Karen Chance 3/23/09

Sweep: Book of Shadows (bk. 1) by Cate Tiernan 3/23/09

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult 3/27/09

Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande 3/29/09

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell 3/31/09

March: 11

Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman 4/02/09

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot 4/03/09

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, bk. 1) by Ilona Andrews 4/06/09

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser 4/08/09

Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris 4/11/09

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn 4/13/09

Stargazer by Claudia Gray 4/15/09

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler 4/19/09

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 4/24/09

Forever Princess by Meg Cabot 4/26/09

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd 4/30/09

April: 11

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer 5/04/09

Dhampir by Barb and J.C. Hendee 5/05/09

Frostbite (Vampire Academy, bk. 2) by Richelle Mead 5/09/09

The Bondwoman's Narrative by Hannah Crafts and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 5/09/09

Sleeping with the Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson 5/11/09

Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, bk. 1) by Jeaniene Frost 5/13/09

The Gathering by Anne Enright 5/16/09

North from Calcutta by Duane Evans 5/24/09

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake 5/25/09

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning 5/28/09

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 5/29/09

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway 5/31/09

May: 12 Total 09: 61

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult 6/04/09

Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier 6/09/09

The Veil by Diane Noble 6/12/09

The Autumn Castle by Kim Wilkins 6/16/09

Mina: The Dracula Story Continues by Marie Kiraly 6/21/09

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn 6/23/09

Sweep: The Coven (bk. 2) by Cate Tiernan 6/23/09

Sweep: Blood Witch (bk. 3) by Cate Tiernan 6/24/09

Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith 6/25/09

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 6/29/09

June: 10 Total 09: 71

A Deadly Habit by Andrea Sisco 7/01/09

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr 7/02/09

Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips 7/07/09

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult 7/12/09

Go Ask Malice: A Slayer's Diary by Robert Joseph Levy 7/13/09

Italian for Beginners by Kristin Harmel 7/16/09

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison 7/18/09

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell 7/26/09

Pride by Rachel Vincent 7/??/09

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 7/30/09

Dreaming in French by Megan McAndrew 7/31/09

July: 11 Total 09: 82

Evermore by Alyson Noel 8/01/09

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 8/01/09

Always Watching by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins 8/03/09

The Secret History of Vampires edited by Darrell Schweitzer 8/06/09

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin 8/07/09
The Queen's Bastard by Robin Maxwell 8/11/09
The Rapture by Liz Jensen 8/13/09
Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett 8/14/09
Twinkie, Deconstructed by Steve Ettlinger 8/18/09
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs 8/20/09
Beastly by Alex Flinn 8/21/09
The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith Hahn Beer 8/27/09
The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer 8/28/09
Dubliners by James Joyce 8/29/09
If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer 8/30/09

August: 15 Total: 97

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls 9/01/09
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 9/02/09
Meridian by Amber Kizer 9/03/09
Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem 9/06/09
City of Souls by Vicki Pettersson 9/08/09
Soulless by Christopher Golden 9/08/09
To the Tower Born by Robin Maxwell 9/09/09
The Stolen Child by Keith Donahue 9/11/09
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent 9/14/09
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe 9/16/09
The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl 9/22/09
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 9/24/09
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus 9/28/09
Sweep: Dark Magick (bk. 4) by Cate Tiernan 9/30/09

September: 14 Total: 111

Notting Hell by Rachel Johnson 10/01/09
On Call: A Doctor's Days and Nights in Residency 10/05/09
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton 10/??/09
Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay 10/10/09
The Poison Apples by Lily Archer 10/12/09
Lies My Mother Never Told Me by Kaylie Jones 10/13/09
I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark 10/14/09
Decked by Carol Higgins Clark 10/15/09
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler 10/16/09
Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks 10/20/09
The Slow Moon by Elizabeth Cox 10/24/09
Vampire Close by Susanne Saville 10/27/09
The Birth House by Ami McKay 10/27/09
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong 10/28/09
The Sugarless Plum by Zippora Karz 10/29/09

October: 15 Total: 126

Vigil: A Novel by Cecilia Samartin 11/04/09
Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth 11/06/09
How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diane Laurence 11/09/09
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead 11/12/09
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins 11/13/09
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk 11/16/09
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok 11/20/09
Fallen by Lauren Kate 11/20/09
Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel 11/23/09
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev 11/24/09
Hannah (Daughters of the Sea) by Kathryn Lasky 11/26/09
One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost 11/29/09
How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls by Zoey Dean 11/30/09

November: 13 Total: 139

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr 12/05/09
Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving 12/08/09
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore 12/09/09
The Atlantis Code by Charles Brokaw 12/14/09
Master of Murder by Christopher Pike 12/16/09
The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey 12/16/09
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks 12/18/09
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad 12/20/09
Julie and Julia by Julie Powell 12/23/09
A Separate Country by Robert Hicks 12/24/09
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare 12/25/09
Succubus on Top by Richelle Mead 12/27/09
Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot 12/28/09
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist 12/28/09
Double Take: A Memoir by Kevin Michael Connolly 12/30/09
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg 12/30/09

New Year, New Books!

2008-12-31T12:14:00.000-08:00

I've tried before to keep track of the books that I've finished over the course of the year, but when one reads more than 3 books at a time, it gets hard to upkeep. This is me, trying again, to see just how many books I read in one year. I can already tell you that it's more than 24 books. The guaranteed 24 books are the product of being in two book clubs.

Occasionally, I might blog about something else. If you want to see what I'm reading, or what I've finished reading, check my 01/01/09 blog entry, which I will edit throughout the year by adding each completed book.

Eternally yours,

Sita