Final 2010 Books: 62 - 66

Well, as I said around the new year, I didn't meet my goal of 100 books.  There are a lot of things I could blame this on, from the blog, YT channel, work, etc, etc, but I know the real reason & it is poor time management.  I haven't gotten around to making any official resolutions for 2011, but at least unofficially, better time management is at the top of my list.  I think I'm doing better.  We'll see how it goes as the year progresses. 

 

#62

Harvest Moon

Anthology

Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

 

This anthology included novellas from:  Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara & Cameron Haley

 

Of course Mercedes Lackey has been a favorite of mine for some time.  The other 2 I had not read before, but Cameron Haley immediately caught my attention with a mobster sorceress - does that not just have a cool ring to it?  I requested her full-length novel right away & it was my first book of 2011 that I finished so stay tuned for me to start my next book list later this month.

 

#63

Strange Attractions

Emma Holly

(Slightly Paranormal) Romance

 

Romance plus .... wait for it ... quantum physics.  Oh, and kinky stuff.  Which is kind of par for Emma Holly but she manages to fit in a real story along with all the sexy bits, which is why I like her.

 

#64

The Sleeping Beauty

Mercedes Lackey

Five Hundred Kingdoms Book 5

Fantasy

 

So I realized I'd had this on hold for like, months, after I read Lackey's novella in Harvest Moon (above).  I un-held it, and breezed through in only a few days; I like this series because it puts such hilarious twists on so many traditional tales.

 

#65

Legacies

Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill

Shadow Grail Book 1

Teen Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

 

I thought that this book was either going to be trying to be Harry Potter, with the poor orphan sent off to school to discover their magic - but it didn't give me that feel at all.  Looking forward to the 2nd installment.

 

#66

The Iron Duke

Meljean Brook

Iron Seas Book 1

Steampunk

 

I haven't delved a whole lot into steampunk.  When I first heard the premise for the genre, I wasn't too impressed - but this was at a time when I really hadn't read any good historical fiction.  Since then I have not only read good historical fiction, I've come to appreciate a good alternate history as well, and I like the twists that steampunk ads to the "normal" world.  Taking that "what if ...?" and running with it.

 

Do you keep track of your reading?  & if so how many books did you devour in 2010?  I'm off to a slow start for 2011 (only 2, the second just finished this evening), which is a shame considering how sick I've been - I feel like even if I am too weak to do anything else, I should have picked up a book more often than I did.  I just finished my 2nd book for the year.  I'd like to read more in 2011 than I did in 2010, but other than that I'm not aiming for any particular milestone amount.

 

Thanks for reading =)

 

~Colette

2010 Books 49 - 61

I'm pretty much seriously doubting I'll make my goal of 100 books for the year - I'd have to read like a book a day for the rest of the year, and I don't think that's going to be happening, with holiday shopping & cooking & everything else!  But here's what I've been reading lately:

 

#49

Courting Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 5

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

This book follows Lucius - the eldest living upyr, and the last who remembers the very beginning of their race.

 

#50

Twice Bitten

Chloe Neill

Chicagoland Vampires Book 3

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

 

Not my favorite book of the series - too much setting up of things.  Which I suppose is a good thing, if I want this to be a long-running series, but I think there could have been some more actual action going on.

 

#51

Kissing Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 6

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

#52

Breaking Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 7

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

#53

Saving Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 8

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

These were the first 3 books of the series that really almost stood alone as a trilogy - following the same characters throughout the books rather than just being set in the same world as the rest of the series.

 

#54

Dark and Stormy Knights

Anthology

Urvan Fantasy/Paranormal

 

This anthology featured short stories by:  Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Shannon K. Butcher, Rachel Caine, P.N. Elrod, Deidre Knight, Vicki Pettersson, Lilith Saintcrow, and Carrie Vaughn.

 

I liked this anthology because the stories were a little longer- if you get over 10 authors, sometimes the stories almost seem too short to even bother with.

 

#55

Immortal Sea

Virginia Kantra

Children of the Sea Book 4

Paranormal Romance

 

Until this book, the series has mostly been focusing on the selkie, but this book gets more into the finfolk - who are more powerful in that they can take on the form of any creature in the sea, rather than just seals.  They don't have any skins to be stolen either, making them less vulnerable than their kin.

 

#56

Path of the Sun

Violette Malan

Dhulyn & Parno Book 4

Fantasy

 

Not exactly a cliffhanger ending, but I will say that there were more loose ends left hanging that I'd prefer LOL - at least considering there is no release date for the 5th book yet!

 

#57

The Demon's Daughter

Emma Holly

Tales of the Demon World Book 1

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

Wasn't quite sure whether to classify this as Historical Paranormal or Steam-Punk ... somewhat of a fine line I suppose, and kind of open to interpretation.

 

#58

The Truth of Valor

Tanya Huff

Confederation  Book 5

Sci-Fi

 

I used to read a lot more sci-fi than I do now, but there are still a few series that I can't pass up when a new book comes out & this is one of them.  I actually kind of thought that book 4 might be the last one, because things seemed to be neatly wrapped up - but of course things are never that simple for Torin.

 

#59

First Blood

Anthology

Paranormal Romance

 

This anthology featured short stories by:  Susan Sizemore Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green, and Meljean Brook.

 

I originally picked up this anthology for the Guardians short story (Meljean Brook) & it took me just forever to get through the rest of the stories.  Of the other 3 authors, I think only one of them would I care to read again.

 

#60

Side Jobs

Jim Butcher

Dresden Files - Anthology

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

 

This anthology is a collection of all the Dresden Files short stories, plus a brand-new novella that takes place after the last book, Changes.  I had my hopes that it would take the edge off of the cliffhanger that book ended with, since Ghost Stories isn't due out until spring 2011 - but no such luck.  Although it starts mere hours after the end of Changes, the entire story is narrated by Murphy, and no further clues to Harry's fate were given.

 

#61

Intrigues

Mercedes Lackey

Valdemar - Collegium Chronicles Book 2

Fantasy

 

I have been reading the Valdemar series since I was about 12 LOL.  It's always a world that I enjoy, even if things are a little more black & white - simple - than in other series that I love for their complexity.

So, now I'm caught up for the moment posting books =)  A pile out from the library, as usual, but I've just been having trouble fitting reading time in - so many other things I am equally behind with that clamor for what little free time I have.  What do you have a bookmark in at the moment?

Thanks for reading.

~Colette