Coming Up For Air

 
I've been in a bit of a reading slump, during which I've read very little new books, instead visiting my favorite bits of many old favorites but not completing anything, old or new. But with November looming ahead of me, it's time to get serious about my various challenges or face the dread prospect of Lists Uncompleted.

I'm not signing in at Book Journey or  Teach Mentor Texts since I haven't reviewed anything in MONTHS, but I'll keep the links around in case next week I start recording my literary life again.

This month I have read:

• Dark Currents, Jacqueline Carey. This was for Felicia Day's Vaginal Fantasy book club.
• Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity, Andrew Solomon. My cousin helped edit this book.
• Warrior, Zoe Archer. This was for last month's Vaginal Fantasy book club.
• Wonder, R.J. Palacio. This is a Cybils pick.
• Sammy Keyes and the Killer Cruise, Wendelin Van Draanen. The conclusion of a great kidlit series.
• Eight Million Gods, Wen Spencer. Technically I've previously read the ARC, but this was the real deal.
• Spy to Die For, Kris DeLake. Sequel to a book I liked.
• Drama, Raina Telgemeier. Another Cybils pick, this one a graphic novel.

In late September I read:

• Stronger, Michael Carroll. Another strong Quantum series book.
• The Runaway King, Jennifer A. Nielson. This might have been a Cybils book, in addition to being a Family Book club pick.
• The Elusive Mrs Pollifax, Dorothy Gilman. I'm enjoying this series a lot. Thanks MM!
• When Diplomacy Fails, Michael Z Williamson. Another spy action book, about as different from Mrs Pollifax as humanly possible.
• Born of Night, Sherrilyn Kenyon. Another Vaginal Fantasy pick.

What am I currently reading?  I have my basic bag of library book, my own book, book club book, and NOOK. And I'm trying to cherry pick the easy read books so I can get my library count down to a reasonable number (I'm getting close!) And I have the six books that I'm reading deliberately slowly, so they turn up every week.

• Chime, Franny Billingsley. Audio YA. Still disliking this. She continues to be insane, to wallow in false guilt, and now adds in pathetic jealousy of other girls. Hitting so many bad buttons!
• Sidekicked, John David Anderson. Kidlit. Dark tale about children trained as sidekicks. Mine.
• Congo, Michael Crichton. November book club book.
• The Edge Chronicles 7: Freeglader, Paul Steward & Chris Riddell. RML pick. Since I haven't read the first six book, I'm finding the characterization a bit thin.
• Looking For Alaska, John Green. NOOK. I'm too cranky to enjoy this story about kids drinking and smoking. Basically, anyone who thinks smoking is cool is hard for me to emphasize with.
• Conspiracy, Lindsay Burokers. NOOK. Another assassin story. I only read this after I've completed a NOOK library book, and since I haven't completed anything in weeks, it's been languishing.
• Keep Me Forever, Rosemary Laurey. I think the set-up is finished.
• Abraham Lincoln: Prairie Years, Carl Sandburg. Lincoln is elected President.
• A General Theory of Love, Thomas Lewis. Just starting this.
• Senrid, Sherwood Smith. YA. Senrid might take back his country.
• The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens. Lots of dull lawyer stuff.
• A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delays, Laurie Lecomer. What interventions look like.

What will I read next? I don't know -- I can't decide anything lately.

2013 Challenges:

1. Cybils: 53/74.  Finished YA Science Fictii.
2. Where Am I Reading?: 36/51. I'm STILL four books behind quota. I need Alaska, Delaware, Indiana and Nebraska, to name a few. Time to go specifically hunting.
3. Crazy Quilt Colors: 6/9. Need patterns, green, and brown. Does Bronze count as brown? I have that one out from the library. 
4. Reading My Library: Reading one now.
5. Best of the Best 2012: 57/25. I have one out from the library now. Also slogging through CHIME.