My 2012 Favorite Things

2012 was an...interesting year for me. I feel like I have to divide it into thirds: San Marcos life, summer life, and being at home life. Looking back, I can't see how any of these have any resemblance to each other, except for the fact that I spend as much time as I can on books, TV shows, movies, and the Internet. It's a bizarre feeling. But anyways, I feel obligated to do a "year in review" kind of post, and since I haven't found much time for writing it this week, I'm doing it entirely in photos. Because I can, and because pictures are pretty.

I have now read all five of these John Green books

The Hunger Games made me cry but I watched it again anyways

Noomi Rapace was fabulous in Prometheus

Graduation!

The Avengers took over my life when I finally watched it in September

I devoured all 6 and a half seasons of (new) Doctor Who

I wished I was watching Community

I became obsessed with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

 THE HOBBIT

Samantha Barks and the cast of Les Miserables were brilliant

Silver Linings Playbook may be the best movie I watched all year. Plus, I enjoyed a comedy!

And finally, I got 129 (and a half) books read this year

Where I Admit to Being a Scaredy-Cat

This week I started reading Divergent (Veronica Roth) which is a pretty awesome dystopian book. Apart from being very engaging, it's given me a lot of human-nature type questions to consider. I'll do my best not to spoil any of the plot for y'all in writing about these.

Also, look how pretty the cover is. I definitely judge this one by its cover :)

So the novel takes place in a future Chicago where society's split into 5 groups defined by a singular characteristic.

• Abnegation [selflessness, non-indulgence or austerity]
• Candor [honesty, often to the point of bluntness]
• Amity [peacefulness, cheerfulness]
• Erudite [intelligence, general studiousness, also ambition]
• Dauntless [bravery, recklessness, sometimes fearlessness]

Which, of course, got me thinking about how crazy it is to try to define a group by a single personality trait that they share in common. Also, the selfless group being called Abnegation just strikes me as a very negative word for a very positive quality. And finally, I wondered which group I would choose to be a part of.

Dauntless was immediately out. These people jump out of moving trains for fun. No way. Candor was also easy to get rid of. It's not that I'm a pathological liar, it's just that I value non-conflict in most social interactions. That doesn't happen when you feel free to tell people how you really feel about them [or their views, or their clothes, etc.].

These are for riding in. NOT for jumping out of.

The other three, at first glance, seemed pretty equally spread. But I certainly don't have the thirst for knowledge the Erudite seem to in the novel. And I definitely am not ambitious in the traditional sense.

So. In real life, I figure I value peacefulness and selflessness fairly equally. I believe very strongly in eliminating the need for war as well as serving others for the purpose of eradicating poverty, ending the orphan crisis, etc. In the context of the book, I suppose I would choose Amity, if only because I wouldn't be comfortable living forever at Abnegation levels of selflessness. And for their red and yellow clothes :)

[Clearly, this vanity means that I would be terrible at being selfless.]

But this prompted me to think even more about the reasons I wouldn't choose the other factions. The one that's hardest to come to terms with is the Dauntless one. I think this is because being "cowardly" is involuntary and irrational. I'd certainly like to be less fearful and constrained by rules, but my brain just doesn't work that way. I decide whether or not to tell the truth. I decide to educate myself or not on various topics. I decide to give things up to accomplish a greater good.

I can't just wake up and say, "I'm not going to be afraid of _____________ anymore."

Which is tough because there are a lot of things I'm afraid of:

1. Wasps/bees/dragonflies/flying insects that look like they could sting
2. Failure
3. Ladders [as in, falling off of them]
4. Making myself look incompetent 
5. Elevators
6. Being alone/rejection
7. Scary movies [I got nightmares from watching Jurassic Park. It was no fun.]
8. Hate groups 
9. Dying/being murdered in particularly painful ways

There are other, smaller fears that could be added to this list, I just can't think of them right now. But they're out there, I assure you.

Also, these are in no particular order. For example, I am not more afraid of wasps than I am of elevators.

Combining two of my fears into one mega-fear. I can't watch even a second of that trailer.

On a completely unrelated note, the Google search for "evil elevator" was much more effective than my previous attempt to find an image conveying my sentiments towards "evil electric mixers."

Halfway Done

I decided to be super ambitious this year and set my goal at reading 150 books.

I'm already halfway to that point and still have 7 1/2 months of reading to go.

I think it's safe to say that I have had a very productive 5 months. This is mainly due to my lack of reliable access to computers and/or Internet. [And getting a car so I can drive myself to the library.] I finally am getting my laptop fixed, but then I come home and the Internet quits working for like five days. This is always what happens with me and technology.

At least the most recent books have all been really great. I still have trouble quitting reading books even when I can tell they're going to be bad I won't like them. Hence, the number of books I rated 2 stars [the one that has 1 star, I skipped through a lot].

Nevertheless, so many wonderful wonderful books.

I don't think I have anything else to say at this point. I've just been meaning to get something posted for a while and then noticed how many books I'd already read. And I'll be driving all over Texas [or just making a triangle between home, apartment, family and back home, but "all over" isn't so lengthy] this next week and doubt I'll be close to a computer during all that.

Instead, I'll probably get a lot more reading done.

Memory Or Anticipation

So the question: why do you need to buy books and read them over and over again? After all, what's there to anticipate? You already know how the book ends. Except...

Things I Remembered about The Hobbit from Reading It 10 Years Ago

• Bilbo Baggins
• Gandalf
• Dwarves
• Dragons and guarded treasure
• Trolls
• Out of the frying pan and into the fire
• Ponies being eaten

I had to reread it to prepare for the movie finally coming out.

Things I Realized I Should Have Remembered While Rereading

• Unexpected dinner party at Bilbo's
• Hanging out with Elrond
• Gollum and the Ring
• Goblins/orcs and Wargs and almost being eaten
• The eagles saving the day, twice
• Beorn, the bear guy
• The sketchy forest, including giant spiders and almost being eaten
• Wood-elves being rather silly
• Floating in barrels
• The secret door
• Bilbo riddling with the dragon and almost being burnt and eaten
• The giant battle at the end 
• Other things that I already can't remember happening

This makes me want it to be December, for once.

Even with a good memory, there's a lot you forget about books you haven't read in a while. There's a ton you forget about books you haven't read in a long while. But you'll always remember whether you liked a book or not, and sometimes you need to know ahead of time that a book is going to make you smile.

I mean, look at this.

And also, the publishing industry kind of needs your money.

My Fictional Idol

Oh dear goodness.

This is the reason I read. The reason crazy people work crazy hard on crazy books and then deal with all the hassle and waiting and rejection that is publishing.

My darling sister once (recently) made fun of me for reading "silly" books. There's nothing wrong with reading literature or the classics or whatever you want to categorize as "not silly" books. But I can assure you - really assure you - that commercial/entertaining/silly books are just as meaningful and deep as those serious, esoteric novels.

I've read quite a few of these very well-done, highly intelligent books recently. Anna and the French Kiss, The Dark and Hollow Places, and Supernaturally aren't simply about kissing or escaping zombies or paranormals [kissing]. They're about finding a home, for the most part. They're also about the mistakes we make and the beliefs we hold and the people we meet along the way. Basically, about humanity. That's why I liked them so much.

And then we come to today. And oh my goodness the magic is just seeping through me making it impossible not to tell you how amazing The Goblin War is. MAGICAL. AMAZING. OMG. [I should remember this I-have-to-write feeling the next time I'm sitting not knowing what to write in my own book experiment...]

I've already mentioned how much I love this series and author. I love it for the plot and the world and Hilari Bell's awesome writing and the characters. The characters. I realize I may sound completely insane, but these people and goblins (the goblins!) are some of my greatest heroes. I wish so desperately that they were real so that I could meet them.

Most especially Makenna. [Yes, the one I'm naming my first kid after.] I didn't realize until just now, finishing this book, that my obsession with her is due to the fact that I'm just like her - or at least hope to be. She's [a misanthrope who saves humankind], uncompromising in her loyalty to her goblin friends/army, brilliant in her strategy, and always fights for those who don't have anyone fighting for them.

And she wins.

That's what I'm most afraid of in the future: that all my dreams and work and everything will have been useless. That I'll fail in attempting to finish my Personal Legend. (Oh, The Alchemist. Another inspiring book.) Sure, the attempt is worth a lot, but succeeding is worth so much more.

For Makenna's successes, I'm willing to put up with all the stupid happy endings literature has to offer.

I think it's good to have role models wherever you can find them - in real life, in gossip magazines, in silly books, in scholarly papers. Makenna, and all her literary and real comrades, is someone I know I can turn to for a bit of humor, a bit of steel, and a whole lot of dedication to my cause.

So I will proudly keep reading and writing silly Young Adult novels that mean a whole lot more to me than a bunch of intellectual tomes.

[My word count, for those of you keeping track, is still the same BUT I have been working on the book. In a non-writing way. While I get back into the swing of getting things done. And quit making excuses. I am also trying to figure out a way to put it in a sidebar so I don't have to keep tacking it onto the ends of all my posts.]

Introspection and Innocence (69, 78 & 84)

To round out the massive numbers of books I've reviewed, I'm going back to some more of the fabulous adult books I've read this year. I read a lot more YA because A) that's my actual age, not that I've ever stuck to reading just my grade-level books and B) that's what I'm writing. Still, it's nice to break away from the same style of books and read some more nonfiction.

Eat, Pray, Love

I mentioned Eat, Pray, Love when I was reading it and I feel the same way about it as I do know. I realize the whole "journey to find myself" is a very privileged white European/American kind of thing, but this book does make some excellent points about what we should all value in life. I especially love all the diverse people that Gilbert meets in her travels.

Plus, the way she writes is so witty and friendly. The book itself is pretty big but it took me very little time to speed through its three sections. This was made easier due to the fact that she went to three beautiful countries and I'm very jealous of all the things she got to see (although I have been to Italy before, it wasn't for months and months).

Committed

So Elizabeth Gilbert meets a guy at the end of Eat, Pray, Love and due to his foreign citizenship, they have to deal with their negative feelings about getting married so that he can live with her. This book got me thinking even more about my own life and the various goals/dreams that I have. I guess from the various family-oriented classes that I've taken (diversity, relationships, etc.) I have a better understanding than she did of what to expect from a marriage, but I still learned a lot about the institution from her research.

I love when other people do the hard work for me - researching the historical background and looking through statistics. I found her findings (and again, the interactions with people all over the world) endlessly fascinating, especially the idea that a marriage can be revolutionary, in that it's the one place where governments cannot exert total control over individuals.

Room

Man abducts woman. Man rapes woman. Woman has baby boy who grows up thinking everything outside Room is Outer Space. You might think that a book that explores such dark aspects of humanity would be hard to read, but Room was so compelling and honest that it was difficult to put down. I think that's because it's narrated by an innocent 5 year old boy, who doesn't realize that his mother has been kidnapped and imprisoned for seven years in the shed he calls home.

It's all too easy to forget that there are people behind breaking news stories - mothers and children dealing with the fallout of being held captive, raped, sold as slaves, etc. It's so easy to forget that they have permanent scars, physical and mental, that trump our morbid curiosity and deserve more than passing pity.

Because it's Christmas and this is only supposed to be a book review, I'll spare you my whole rant on this subject, but you can expect me to bring it up again.

More Blessed Word Count: will probably not be updated before this automatically posts

Freaks of Nature (59 & 89)

First, Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, or Happy Chanukah, or Happy Whatever-You'd-Like-To-Celebrate!

Now, onto the books. I wasn't sure that these two fit in the same category, but I had nothing else to pair them up with. The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense to me. Both have elements of sci-fi/fantasy and a character or two with serious mental issues. And both have GORGEOUS covers.

So beautiful I want to post them multiple times.

Bleeding Violet

I have read some strange books in my life, but this is the most beautiful insane creation I've ever read. And may just be the best book I read all year. I don't even know what genre it fits under. Fantasy? Contemporary? Sci-Fi? Paranormal (romance) is the only title that could encompass all of those.

Hanna is half-Finnish and half-small-town-Texan, which already gives her several cool points. She's also biracial and mentally unstable and obsessed with the color purple after her father's death. And determined to make her Momma love her and fit in after moving to her mother's very, very strange hometown. This place is just dripping with unquiet spirits, monsters under the bed (and in the windows and in the hedges and parks), etc. Plus, a cute boy. It never hurts to have a cute boy.

So beautiful I can't stop looking at them.

Across the Universe

You can't get much more sci-fi than a book set in space, right? Amy and Elder are both passengers on the Godspeed, but Amy has been cryogenically frozen along with 99 others, including her parents, who are going to be the scientific and military leadership on a new planet. Elder is one of the thousands of inhabitants of the ship, descended from the ship's non-frozen crew. The ship was supposed to have an uneventful 300 year journey, but then...a bunch of things happen that I won't tell you about :)

The story is told in alternating viewpoints, switching from Amy to Elder. It works really, really well - they even switch narrating during the same scene WITHOUT it interrupting the flow. I think it actually works better this way, because at different points (like in a conversation), you really want to know what the other one's thinking. And then you get to hear it from them!

I know Across the Universe has a sequel coming out in January and Dia Reeves has written a couple more books set in Portero, the crazy awesome setting of Bleeding Violet. So you can fully expect those to be on my reading list for next year.

More Blessed Word Count: may or may not be changing due to holiday fun

Zombies Can Be Sweet (57 & 58)

I was going to call these dystopian books, but the other day I read (somewhere) a post complaining about how everything is getting called dystopian today (I think mostly because of the Hunger Games) even when they don't fit the genre. So these are actually post-apocalyptic (harder to spell) because there's no evil government masquerading as a utopia.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

We start this novel with Mary and her brother facing some family issues. Then there's the Sisterhood, the nun-like group who controls the fenced in town where she grew up. There's also Henry and Travis and Cass, her closest friends. And of course, a horde of Unconsecrated (AKA zombies) waiting outside the vigilantly guarded fence.

The combination of the fabulous setting, complex characters and brilliant writing make this whole series stand out. It's brutal by nature, with many of the characters not surviving long past adulthood. It's also heart-breakingly beautiful, especially Mary's desperate desire to someday see the ocean.

The Dead-Tossed Waves

Many of the same elements of the first book appear in a different form in the second. This time, the narration follows Gabry and her best friends, brother and sister Catcher and Cira. It's not long before tragedy strikes, in the form of mudo (AKA zombies). And then the journey begins :)

I loved the change in setting (not that there was anything to dislike about the forest) - Gabry lives in a coastal city with a different set of zombie problems as the forest. As in, they wash ashore and have to be beheaded before they invade the town. And just like Forest, this novel has the same suspenseful energy that makes it impossible to put down.

And now I have to wait for the library to get The Dark and Hollow Places.

These two books are more that I would never in a million years have picked out for myself to read - it's not really a secret that I can't watch horror movies and I'm really jumpy when watching anything remotely suspenseful. I ended up reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth one night when my roommate wasn't home and I had to check the whole apartment for zombies, just in case but I still am SO GLAD that I read them. They would definitely be in my top 10 of the year, if I sat down to figure that out.  

More Blessed Word Count: 16,117 (plus I've been working on a short story)

Girl on Fire (51, 61 & 64)

Please, please, please read these if you're planning on seeing the movie next March.

Just in general, if you know a movie's been based off a book, read that book first. Or at least read it at some point. It's driving me crazy that I haven't read Stardust or The Fellowship of the Rings, to name some famous examples, when I've already seen the corresponding movies (several times). I guess I should go back to the library, now that I think about it. But anyways...

The Hunger Games

The book begins with Katniss and her harsh existence, scraping by with hunting and trading in District 12, located in West Virginia. Ish. Her life is changed by the 74th (I believe) Hunger Games - the annual tournament where each district has to send 2 adolescent tributes to serve as gladiatorial entertainment for the Capital.

Basically the whole book centers on the Games. They're bloody and intense and horrific, yet totally believable. I think the different characters' reactions to this brutal situation are genuinely portrayed - the conflict between wanting to survive and retaining your humanity. That's what really hooked me. And Katniss is pretty darn awesome. She and Archer from Fire make me want to take up archery.

Catching Fire

We don't usually expect a sequel to be better than its predecessor (for example, just about every Disney sequel ever created). This one, though. You guys, this is one rockin' sequel. It starts out slow, but then there were SO MANY THINGS that surprised me, shocked me even. I LOVE not being able to guess what's going to happen.

First, though, I never could have imagined the world-wide ramifications of the end of The Hunger Games. It makes total sense though! I won't go into detail, obviously, but the choices the characters have to make and the brutality of the system are so much more important and ever-present.

Mockingjay

And then we get to the final book. I'm torn on this one. I love the series as a whole, but there were some elements of Mockingjay that really bugged me. Especially the ending. But I can't talk about that here so...well, I really can't talk about the plot at all because most of the surprising things that happen in Catching Fire are related to the action going down in Mockingjay.

My memories of reading this are kind of vague, I guess overshadowed by the inconsistencies and obviousness I saw. I do want to point out that Suzanne Collins has an incredible voice throughout the series. They're very easy to get lost in, whether it's an action segment or a sentimental segment or something in between.

I have a confession to make, though. I put off reading The Hunger Games just because the series was so popular and I often have low expectations for more "mainstream" books. I don't know why - I end up liking most of them, which was certainly the case for this trilogy. I should have known. After all, I LOVE dystopias. (How ironic - Firefox thinks "dystopias" is misspelled. It wants to correct it with "utopias.")

More Blessed Word Count: 15,817

An Alternate WWI (50 & 90)

I've come up with another way to stave off those writer's blocks: staying up really late. I wasn't up until 3 last night writing (I was reading book #100) but I was reminded just how much energy I typically have left despite it being the middle of the night. I've been physically incapable of waking up on time for most of the past week and a half. Not even kidding.

(Thank goodness I woke up for my 8:00 exam last Tuesday. I had a dream last night that I forgot the time and showed up in the afternoon.)

But since it's Winter Break and I can do crazy things like sleep in until noon, I've decided to experiment with staying up late to work on my book. I don't seem to get much done in the mornings anyways. At least I'm getting blog posts written!

Leviathan

Okay, first, I discovered a deep love for steampunk. The British/Darwinist clash with the German/Clanker perspective is such a perfect way to retell the World War 1 story. Second, I love Derryn-disguised-as-Dylan Sharp. But of course, I always love spunky girl characters. Especially when they hang out on airships.

As far as plot goes, the narrative basically follows the actual historical timeline. There are some inaccuracies that are necessary to the story - in this book, the character of Alek is introduced as Sophie and Franz Ferdinand's only child (they had several, none named Aleksander). As much as I love when authors stick to the history, I understood why Scott Westerfeld had to make this kid up.

Behemoth

The Darwinists and Clankers are busy fighting in Europe while the crew of the Leviathan heads over to Istanbul. They get their own share of surprises in the diplomatic fight over control of the Ottoman Empire - and in the resulting difficulties, we learn more about the brilliant lady scientist (with all her sneaky plans) the Leviathan has been carrying.

Again, there are some liberties taken with history, but that lets Behemoth include fun things like secret missions and elephant rides. And of course, lots of crazy plotting and antics from both Alek and Derryn. I don't want to say any more because I'd hate to ruin the twists, from this book or the first.

I had no clue what this series was about when I picked it up as part of my 300 book long To Read list. I can't even remember who first recommended it because so many authors and readers were talking about how brilliant Scott Westerfeld is. I get it now. The two books are so much fun to read and so marvelously crafted.

I mean, just look at that map. Yet another great thing about these books is all the beautiful artwork (meant to give the book a 1914 feel). The illustrations are invaluable for picturing some of the complicated machinery and "beasties" that the Clankers and Darwinists use, respectively. And they're pretty :)

More Blessed Word Count: 15,613

(Mind you, I have been doing other researchy stuff, so the word count doesn't reflect any of the work that's gone in behind the scenes, if you will. My notes and stuff take up several documents and thousands more words.)

Men Who Hate Women (45 & 88)

No, this isn't a feminist rant (at least, I don't think it will be). Yes, that is the most fitting title for these reviews. Let me explain.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

You'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard of Steig Larsson's Millennium trilogy. I finished the series this year, as well as seeing the first two movies. (The Swedish version, of course. I could write a whole post on how amazing Noomi Rapace is. Several, actually.) Lisbeth Salander is the most ethical character I think I've ever seen, even if those ethics don't always conform to society's. Hence, the reason for the trial at the center of Hornet's Nest. The size and breadth of these novels may seem intimidating, but they are totally worth it.

I am still horribly upset that Steig Larsson passed away before finishing all his work, writing and otherwise. I feel like he and I would be best friends. We both think giving women equal rights and saving the world from fascist right wing hate groups (among other issues) are incredibly important. That is why the first novel is really titled Men Who Hate Women instead of the more neutral The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

"There Are Thing I Want You to Know" About Steig Larsson and Me

The person most horribly upset by Steig's passing is his widow, Eva Gabrielsson. Because they never married due to concerns for their safety, she got shut out of his estate by his father and brother, who rarely saw him. This is despite Steig's wishes, set down in an unsigned will, and the fact that they were together for 30 YEARS. A very ethical person herself, Eva has always been more concerned about the intellectual/artistic rights and integrity of the series while her in-laws greedily grab up all the money that should have been hers and Steig's.

As a way of coping with this terrible situation, she wrote this fabulous book. She describes their life and activism together, as well as detailing portions of the trilogy that come from their direct experiences and friends. It's a fascinating and heartbreaking look inside Steig's mind. I hope someday she'll be able to finish at least Book 4 because I would love to read it and all the other books Larsson had planned.

I hope I managed this post without sounding too ranty. I admit I felt compelled to cut a few sentences that seemed really angry. I just have really strong feelings about everything tied into the series' content (exposing the ever-present sexism, racism, homophobia, classicism, etc.) and its publication.

More Blessed Word Count: 15,613

Why Nerdfighters are Cool (34 & 54)

Oh look! I do read books with boy protagonists! This shouldn't be so surprising. John Green is one of several YA rockstars. For real. This man is one of the most witty, brilliant authors I have ever read. And that's not just an opinion - he's won all sorts of fancy-shmancy awards too.

An Abundance of Katherines

Child prodigy Colin has only ever dated Katherines. And not just a couple. Number 19 breaks up with him at the beginning of the book, prompting him and his best friend Hassan to take a random road trip. And then he meets a Lindsey... (who is dating The Other Colin). Plus, the grave of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

PLUS, during the whole novel, Colin is trying to attain "genius" status by perfecting a theorem to predict the outcome of relationships. Primarily, the 19 relationships he's had with Katherines. The math is even explained, more or less. It's funny and snappy and freaking hilarious.

Looking for Alaska

Still keeping the wit alive, John Green's debut novel is a bit heavier than Katherines. This time, the MC Miles is obsessed with last words. He goes off to boarding school - to seek a Great Perhaps - and makes a bunch of wild and crazy, serious thinking, pranking friends, including "The Colonel," Lara, Takumi and Alaska.

It's also very deep, but I can't tell you why or that ruins the whole book. Well, I can mention their English (I think) class where they discuss suffering and the meaning of life. But nothing else. Just read it. Please? Further justification - look at the fancy-shmancy Prinz Award stamp on the cover :)

A warning - in both of these and other books on my list, there's plenty of drinking, sex, smoking, kissing, swearing, etc. that some people have found offensive since they're about and for teenagers. Just so you know.

More Blessed Word Count: 15,493

More Magical Ladies (28, 65 & 98)

The problem with starting to review 2011's books before the year is completely over with is that you end up reading freaking fantastic books that will then need to be added to the absolute favorites list...so I've bumped another book to the Honorable Mentions list in favor of number 98.

The Goblin Gate

My absolute favorite book when I was younger was Hilari Bell's The Goblin Wood. I was so ridiculously excited when I found out that she was writing not one, but TWO sequels. And the first of those definitely does not disappoint. (Depending on the library/bookstore, they might be considered children's books and not YA.)

We thought everything was resolved in book number one, but surprise! Incorrect. I loved that the world gets explained more and the stakes are higher and my darling Makenna gets even more awesome (yes, I'm naming one of my future children after her). Plus, there's a character with the same name as me, just misspelled :)

The Folk Keeper

Speaking of names - this book is the reason I also answer to Corinna.  I first read it so long ago that I forgot about it, but one day I randomly read a Wikipedia article about selkies and it popped back into my brain. And I am oh so glad that it did. Franny Billingsley is an absolute genius. She writes beautifully and with such magic and emotion that it's impossible to put her books down.

Miss Corinna starts off disguised as a boy in an orphanage. She is the best Folk Keeper they've ever had, meaning she keeps the mysterious, powerful and rather ominous Folk from destroying the place. And then she moves to a manor. And then crazy stuff happens. Which I will let you read about.

(Also, I imagine this would also be considered a children's book, but I can still call it YA if I want to!)

Chime

And now...one of my new EVERYONE IN THE WORLD MUST READ books. Oh my goodness. I'm still feeling blown away. SO MUCH MAGIC. I'm jealous.

First, Chime is set in (next to) a swamp, which is bound to give it an eerie feel. But add witches, pretty boys, and Dark Muses, and you get a novel jam-packed with melancholy images and secrets and so much magic.

Second...nope, there is no second. Don't you want to read it already?! If for some bizarre reason you don't, you can fully expect me to buy it and shove it in your face. Or get it from the library and shove that copy in your face, because I'd never loan my own precious (future) copy to anyone.

I realize that all three of these (and the majority of the other books I read) are told from the girl's perspective. At least girls get one form of media to be the majority in :) But seriously, if guys want more male MCs, then they should read more.

More Blessed Word Count: 15,241 + brainstorming

Fangirls and Strong Women (13 & 14)

A bit later than promised, I present: my gushing love for Kristin Cashore and her two novels.

Graceling

I liked this book so much that I read it twice. And then bought it. And will soon be reading it again. I don't think I've mentioned before but I got the original idea for More Blessed after reading Graceling. I was thinking about how the "graces" were recognized by eye color and how you might identify them if you didn't have that to go off of. Thus, the supernaturals and the Registry were born :)

The idea and worldbuilding are obviously inspiring, but the protagonist is my favorite part. Katsa is fierce and strong and so beautifully flawed. She feels trapped by her uncle, who happens to be the King, but at the same time figures out how to help people. Sneakily. Relentlessly. Awesomely.

Fire

Book #2 is more of a companion than a sequel. It tells the story of some important stuff that happens before Graceling, in the country that lies past the mountains. There's still plenty of traveling around, but no one clear destination or journey.

I haven't decided, but I might like Fire a bit more than I do Katsa. (Maybe because she likes babies, which is the polar opposite of Katsa.) She's unabashedly feminine and yet so powerful. The politics aspect of the book is a little...not weak, but kind of unexplained. It's the relationships between all the major characters that are really compelling.

More Blessed Word Count: 14,569

Traveling through History (12, 27 & 62)

How else would OCD little me proceed through my "New Favorites" book reviews except to make a highly thought out, categorized list? I've read so many good books this year that I had to make myself cut the amount of reviews (and therefore posts) from a impossible number to a mere 26...plus 9 "Honorable Mentions." So, in a very particular order, I give you the first three finalists :)

Revenge of the Rose by Nicole Galland

This lady is another of my absolute favorite authors. I randomly picked up her third book, Crossed, from the new books section of my library and FELL IN LOVE. For reals. The writing is brilliant, the characters are fabulous, the settings are artfully done. Historical fiction is tricky to do but all of Nicole Galland's books are amazing!

I'm jealous of the genius that went into crafting Revenge of the Rose. I love love love all the sneaking around the characters get to do in this one. Everybody's working for their own benefit - even some of the "good" guys are at cross purposes - and it's a guess as to who's going to come out on top in the end.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Thank you Ms. Gregory. Now I can astound my friends with my detailed knowledge of the War of the Roses. I love all the twists and turns - especially since they're more or less factual history. I love the added element of magic (always a fan). And I love that this is just as in-depth as her other books. It's not just a snapshot of Elizabeth Woodville's life, but (basically) the whole, fascinating thing.

I'm just mad there's already a book about this. I wanted to write a super awesome book about the Princes in the Tower! But I imagine my version wouldn't take place in actual England, so it's all right :)

A Death in the Venetian Quarter by Alan Gordon

And this guy rounds out the trio. I've read the rest of this series but my library at home didn't have this one. Thank goodness the one at school does! The sneaky jesters (agents of peace and foolery) are in Constantinople working their magic right before the Fourth Crusade hits. Plus, a baby!

I don't think Alan Gordon can write a book I won't like. He's mixed Shakespeare's plays with Feste/Theo's life and real historical events and murder mysteries. I have no idea how he does it, but these books are so witty and so complex and so OMG awesome! If I could make a suggestion: go get Thirteenth Night from your local library. Right now. And then read the rest of these fabulous tales, in order of course.

Well, that wraps up that category. Tune in for tomorrow's fangirl moment featuring two lovely novels by Kristin Cashore.

More Blessed Word Count: 14,097

Old Favorites

I wrote a post a while ago about reading and rereading books. Since no one cared to resolve my indecision for me, I figured I'd group my favorites rereads into just one post, especially since they're all series.

Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr + newbie Inheritance)

Eragon goes from poor peasant farmer to savior of the continent. Hooray! And dragons! They're very dense reads but I think the ridiculously diverse characters and world building are worth it. My favorite parts are anything having to do with Arya: gorgeous, elf princess, always beating up the boys. And the second book is pretty cool in terms of twists and surprises. Also, I felt so relived after FINALLY getting a conclusion.

Chronicles of Narnia (All 7, in the chronological order of this boxed set)

How great are these books?! They're aimed towards children so the first time I reread them (a few years ago) I was surprised at the simplicity. But that's because the stories and the whole of Narnia are so endlessly fascinating, even if you don't buy into the allegory.  

The Horse and His Boy is my favorite because I adore Aravis. And the line at the end: "So that years later, when they were grown up, they were so used to quarreling and making it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently."

C. S. Lewis is a genius with words. The End.

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (by Douglas Adams)

Everyone should read these. Quite literally the funniest and most bizarre series I have ever read in my life. It's all in the titles:  

• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (makes a smashing film)
• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (not the end you'd think)
• Life, the Universe, and Everything (witty comment?)
• So Long and Thanks for all the Fish (my favorite song in the whole universe)
• Young Zaphod Plays it Safe (sadly short)
• Mostly Harmless (if I recall correctly, this one has Elvis in it)

The Thief Series (The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia plus A Conspiracy of Kings)

We all know how much of a fangirl I am about MWT. I don't really need to repeat myself, do I? Good.

The Heir Chronicles (by Cinda Williams Chima)

My sister is the one who got my reading this series, and I just fell in love. I'm not sure what it is - a combination of marvelously thought out magic, characters I want to be best friends with and some crazy villains. I found this beautiful set at Half Price Books and then reread them while I was in Peru. (I overcame my dislike of boxed sets after not having to worry about packing these.)

I haven't been able to decide which is my favorite; it's a very close contest between The Wizard Heir and The Dragon Heir, the second and third books. Mostly because of a boy named Seph. I wish I'd thought of that name. He's beautiful. And he speaks French.

Whew. That was a lot of formatting and picture-finding. Now, if you're especially insane and have studied my 2011 book list, you've noticed that I also reread Graceling. I figured since this is the first year I read it, even though I did read it twice, I'd talk about it with it companion, Fire. Only fair to let the buddies hang out together. And this post is long enough without adding that fangirling out.

More Blessed Word Count: 13, 923...I may have miscalculated my word count yesterday

I WON A BOOK!!

I am currently freaking out. I am probably freaking out my friends right now.

The reason I'm so excited? There are two, actually. One is that I won a book in a SUPER AWESOME CONTEST from one of my favorite authors, Maria V. Snyder. My librarian aunt had me read her brilliant debut Poison Study several years ago and now I own all of her other books. All 8 of them. Soon to be nine.

This is my favorite cover, but they're all pretty awesome.

The second is that I never win things. NEVER. Sometimes I tell myself that my rooting for a team makes them lose (like this year with the Rangers...that was a sad day). But then things like this happen, or my favorite figure skaters win gold medals or something, and my faith in the universe is restored.

More Blessed Word Count: 13,962

I know that hasn't changed much recently. I'll write a bunch this weekend, I promise! And I'll write those posts about my favorite books of this year too, I promise! But first, let me shout, "I WON A BOOK!" again, because I don't think it's sufficiently sunk in for my apartment-mates.

100 Books in Review

I haven't quite gotten my hundred books read this year, but I'd say 96 is a pretty good indication that I'll make it there. I had the idea a couple of months ago (and then had to wait for it to get to December when I promptly forgot) to do some book reviews/reactions for my favorite books that I read this year. I won't be talking about books I didn't like, because that's just my opinion and I don't want to bash anyone's hard work.

Cover collage. The only hard work I've done all day.

I haven't decided how many of these I want to do...any suggestions on a number? It'll either need to be odd or ending in 5 or 0. I also don't know if I should focus on new, less well-known books or include some of my old favorites that I reread this year.

Just looking at my list, I don't even know where to start. So I'll be starting this series tomorrow.

More Blessed Word Count: 13,869