Flights of Fantasy discussion

It's already December. I know. Ridiculous.

I'm currently working my way through 'Salem's Lot (about 1/2 complete, like it so far) in print and The Blinding Knife in audio. I've already read books 1-3 of the Lightbringer series, I am just re-reading in preparation for reading The Blood Mirror hopefully soon.

Dawn wrote: "It's already December. I know. Ridiculous.

I'm currently working my way through 'Salem's Lot (about 1/2 complete, like it so far) in print and The Blinding Knife in au..."

For real. Where did time go?

I'm working on The Fireman and liking it a lot. Also started Beyond Redemption. These two books are giving me big hope in breaking out of my reading slump..

I'm about half way through Deathly Hallows. Why are those books so good?

I need to get back to Joe Hill.

I'm still working on Goldenhand. Not quite as perfect as Sabriel and Lirael, but sooo much better than Clariel.

'Salem's Lot feels really long. I know I said I was liking it.. But I really feel like I'm inching along and am barely making progress. I feel like I've been reading it my whole life.

Is it worth it? I mean really really? I don't want to DNF it because I actually like it, but I also wish I were done with it already so I could read something else. I was thinking I'd pause it.. But let's be honest. When I pause halfway through a book, I never return.

I want to read December's group reads though! And November's! Bah. Too many books.

I'd say it's worth it, Dawn..But you might ask a non King fan.

I know how frustrating that feeling is. You're almost better off not liking a book, because then you can bail. But when you like it but can't get through it, it seems to last forever...

colleen the fabulous fabulaphile wrote: "I'm still working on Goldenhand. Not quite as perfect as Sabriel and Lirael, but sooo much better than Clariel."

This is another series that needs a re-read. I loved Mogget.

Salems Lot is now one of my favorite Kings. But I'm a strong proponent of 'it might not be the right time'. Shelve it and try again in a few years. Reading should not be a chore.

I'm....well....stressed!

1. I'm preparing for a History quiz which will be followed two days later by my History Final, and I'm awaiting the grade for my History essay.

2. I'm supposed to be rewriting my Ethics paper while awaiting the grade from my Ethics Final (I know I got an 'A' on the multiple choice section, but I'm waiting to find out how I did on the essay question section.

As for reading:

- I may or may not complete The Windup Girl
- I want to read this month's selection We Are the Ants
- I also want to find fun, frivolous short stories and am hoping Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories will fit the bill.

I decided to start reading Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection in addition to 'Salem's Lot. Since it's short stories and novella's, my hope is that I can take a break from SL without it becoming too long of a break (which would result in a SL DNF).

I'm already happy I made this choice. I'm only a little into the first story (The Emperor's Soul), which I have read before, but I can already feel my slump melting away. I'm such a Sanderson fangirl, it doesn't matter what he writes, I love it all. And even though I've read this story before (and a lot of the other one's in the collection as well), there is all new preface information before each story which tells you a little bit about how the story / world fits into the Cosmere. It's so cool! Can't wait to read more of it.

That's great, Dawn...I need to get back to some Sanderson. Kinda got overwhelmed with The Way of Kings...

Nyssa wrote: "- I may or may not complete The Windup Girl
- I want to read this month's selection We Are the Ants
- I also want to find fun, frivolous short stories and am hoping Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories will fit the bill. "

I'm setting The Windup Girl aside and will be reading We Are the Ants and The Handmaid's Tale this month. I'm just not sure which I'd like to read first.

Finished Goldenhand - 3.5 stars, bumped to 4.

Next up is Reaper Man, and then I want to start The Girl with Ghost Eyes (which might become my gym read once I finish The Titan's Curse (which kinda sucks so far)).

I'm currently concentrating on Diary of a Haunting by M. Verano. It's not very long, but the main character's superiority complex is already so annoying just a few pages in that I'm unsure if I'll make it to the end. I'd like to finish at least one of the longer novels on my currently reading shelf (Shadowheart and A Crown of Swords) before the end of the year; it just depends on which book I feel like reading day to day, and hopefully I'll finish one in time (I rarely participate in monthly reads with groups because I always get excited to start other books and end up putting a ton of books on hold, even if I like them!).

Michelle the Crazy Cat Lady wrote: "I'd like to finish at least one of the longer novels on my currently reading shelf (Shadowheart and A Crown of Swords) before the end of the year; ..."

haha, nice Chris - that looks about right.

Just finished A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir and Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson - got my YA fantasy reads on!

Wow! LOL So, is it worth it?

Nyssa wrote: "Wow! LOL So, is it worth it?"

I think so. I really loved that series, even through the sloggy parts.

Chris wrote: "Nyssa wrote: "Wow! LOL So, is it worth it?"

I think so. I really loved that series, even through the sloggy parts."

Cool. The longest series I've attempted was Honor Harrington by David Webber. That didn't go well, either time, as I'm sure you know. I made it to books 9 and 10 respectively before completly burning out. Although, I did read ALL of the short stories as well, that second time around.

I might add this to my "When I retire" list. :)

Chris wrote: "Michelle the Crazy Cat Lady wrote: "I'd like to finish at least one of the longer novels on my currently reading shelf (Shadowheart and A Crown of Swords) before the end of the year; ..."

Bwahaha!!! It's funny (I think, anyway) that some people think I'm dedicated or outright crazy to have read somewhere around 35 Warriors novels (300 - 500 pages each) by Erin Hunter. However, the cumulative page count is right there with 14 WOT novels. Just for perspective. ;)

Chris just made me glad I gave away my Robert Jordan, lol.

Strolled by this one in a bookstore, decided to give it a try, Silent Hall by N.S. Dolkart, looked interesting.
Working on Prince of Dogs, Kate Elliott.

I just finished Invisible Planets: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation--seriously great science fiction anthology. Get your hands on it if you can.

I'll probably start either Silent Hall or The Girl with Ghost Eyes next. Or both--I read multiple books at the same time!

Nyssa wrote: "I'm setting The Windup Girl aside and will be reading We Are the Ants and The Handmaid's Tale this month. I'm just not sure which I'd like to read first.

I settled on The Handmaid's Tale and really enjoyed it. It was an interesting experience.

I'm now trying to start We Are the Ants, but real life keeps getting in the way. I'm hoping to get into it by tomorrow and to complete by the end of the week.

I'd then like to read A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales during my Christmas break.

Been reading some manga - Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 and Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 2 (finished this morning) - interspersed with Something Wicked This Way Comes and a section of Lepers Outside the Gate: Excavations at the Cemetery of the Hospital of St James and St Mary Magdalene, Chichester, 1986-87 and 1993 With CDROM (the latter for research).

I'm still reading Lightspeed Magazine, June 2014: Women Destroy Science Fiction! Special Issue. The audio has some amazing work going on.

And some of these stories leave me with book hangover.

I also started Dark Currents - its a little slow.

Hey everyone. I'm reading Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits & it's all kinds of awesome. I started reading it while I was on vacation at my soon-to-be-in-law's fro Thanksgiving and I had a hard time putting it down. Then I came home & life has gotten busy & I've hardly picked it up since. It was due at the library yesterday & I forgot to renew it (yikes), so I'm hoping to binge read the rest tonight. A night reading by the Christmas tree sounds pretty good to me!

Reading Witches Abroad in an ongoing attempt to catch up on my Discworld reads for the year. Hopefully I'll finished it and Small Gods by the end.

Also started The Battle of the Labyrinth as my gym read. Hoping this one breaks the pattern from the last three books, but I'm not holding my breath...

Chris wrote: "Michelle the Crazy Cat Lady wrote: "I'd like to finish at least one of the longer novels on my currently reading shelf (Shadowheart and A Crown of Swords) before the end of the year; ..."

"

I've got to try the Jordan series again. I read the first three in college and really enjoyed them.

I'm almost through The Girl on the Train. Fun little mystery.

I think next I'll do The Girl with Ghost Eyes...or continue where I left off with It in September.

Nyssa wrote: "I'm now trying to start We Are the Ants, but real life keeps getting in the way. I'm hoping to get into it by tomorrow and to complete by the end of the week.


I'm now just past the halfway mark of We Are the Ants. It's a hard book to enjoy, but not to like. At times you feel like you need an emotional break, but at other times you just can't put it down.

Nyssa wrote: "I'm now just past the halfway mark of We Are the Ants. It's a hard book to enjoy, but not to like. At times you feel like you need an emotional break, but at other times you just can't put it down. "

I completed We Are the Ants a few days ago. Although often sad and depressing it was still a very good book.

I then read Unexpected Gifts between yesterday and today. The writing is not great, but the story is sweet. I'm now reading the second book in the series, Hidden Gifts. The setup, so far, is painfully contrived, and the writing still feels amateurish, but I'm willing to see where it goes.
I already have the short story that comes next; it was free. I'll decide, once I finish both, whether or not to continue with this series.

Starting Fool Moon . Pretty good so far.

I just got done with Fellside, great! I have also gotten through three compendiums - The Walking Dead, Compendium 1, 2 and 3.

Yesterday I finished Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection, it was AWESOME. Super highly recommend it, it was a great collection of stories.

I was going to jump back into 'Salem's Lot now... But I think I'm going to officially DNF it instead. There is nothing bad about it specifically, I'm just not connecting to the characters much. They feel kind of shallow, which is a big turn off for me. I'm not giving up on old King yet, but I'm starting to think I may just be more of a mostly new King fan.

I finished Something Wicked This Way Comes (mentioned earlier) yesterday and continued to feed my manga craving with One Piece, Volume 02: Buggy the Clown, which I finished today.

After 5 days and a restart or two of trying to get into the story of Karen Memory, I gave up. It is quite clear that the universe does not want me to read that book right now.

The universe then placed the following into my lap (sans kitty), in the form of a Christmas gift! :)

I'm now hoping that the universe will allow me to enjoy them before I return to work next week.

That's an awesome pic.

Thanks! :) The model in the picture is my kitty-baby, Hera. It's funny, she was a young Mama-cat, but is actually the youngest of the family ( cats and kids alike). We apparently adopted her just after she weened her kits.

That's really cool that she likes to read, too :)

Oh, yes and she has helped me make lesson plans, grade papers, and even study too! :D

Hera is beautiful! Love the picture.

Thank you! :)

Love your picture. NICE kitty, really. I can't sit with a book without my cat. He likes reading too!!

Spacechik wrote: "Love your picture. NICE kitty, really. I can't sit with a book without my cat. He likes reading too!!"

Thank you! And it's good to see you. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!

I lurk mostly. Good to be back.

oh, gosh! I want to hug it

MrsJoseph wrote: "oh, gosh! I want to hug it"

The kitten, the book, or the coffee?

Chris wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "oh, gosh! I want to hug it"

The kitten, the book, or the coffee?"

All three.