Plans and Plans

The problem with libraries is that the only limit on how much I can read it is time, which I apparently believe is magically expandable. So every week I check out books for my Cybils challenge, my Library Quest, my many book clubs, for any series or favorite authors that have produced new books, and also anything that catches my eye.

When I buy books, I actually sort of have a budget so I can't get too many at once, and I now have a designated spot for new books that I haven't read yet, so it glowers at me and threatens to spill over when my reach exceeds my grasp.  But library books are more cheerful about it -- they know they'll head back at a designated time, so no worries about accumulating too much stuff. This is a problem that I enjoy wrestling with, because there is no way I can lose. I either read too many library books, most of which I enjoy, or I go back to buying the books I bought, all of which I expect to like.

My hold shelf loot was three books:



Front Lines, Michael Grant. This is mostly for my kids, who are Michael Grant fans.

A Darker Shade of Magic, V.E. Schwab. Finally! This is the Sword and Laser book from April.

Twin Spica 9, Kou Yaginuma. I continue working my way through this manga.

This was actually a two library week. I'm vaguely trying to work my way through Nisi Shawl's "Crash Course in the History of Black Science Fiction."  Several books weren't available through my library system, but then I thought to check Seattle's library. And while I was picking them up, I thought to check the shelves for the first book, which I had read online. They had it, and the print edition contains the missing back half, so I got that as well.


Blake, or the Huts of America, Martin Delaney. So I can get to the science fiction parts and the slave revolt. The online version stops early.

The Black Nation, This will at least discuss Pauline Hopkins Of One Blood, and if I'm extra lucky it will have excerpts.

The Palm Wine Drunkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, Amos Tutuola. I'm interested in the second book, which is a collection of related stories.

I also got a new ebook, also from the Seattle library. It's great to be have access to two powerful library systems!:


The Magpie Lord, K.J. Charles. Last month's Vaginal Fantasy book.

That's a total of  things out, which is too many. I'll go look at the Library Loot which is at Silly Little Mischief this week to see what everyone else is getting.  Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Linda from Silly Little Mischief that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post - feel free to steal the button (that pile of books up at the top) - and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. 

Library Questing

Here I document any progress I make in my Quest to read a book from every shelf in my local library.

Left For Dead, J.A. Jance. I'm on disc 5 and enjoying it a lot; the different plot threads are starting to come together. Four more discs to go, I think.

I'm starting Jon Meacham's Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power. I  haven't gotten very far yet, but I'd better get cracking because it's due back next week. It's too thick to carry around, though.