Wednesday 31 August 2011

August and the month ahead.

Surely it can't be September already. Feels like it was just January yesterday!. I had another good month despite slowing down at the end.

Once again I managed to read my allocation of books for the 'books I should have read by now challenge'. This time I didn't replace any. I read all the ones I set out at the start.

Mary Tudor by Anna Whitelock
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
The Bachman Books by Stephen King.

I liked all three but my favourite was the Bachman books. It was pleasant to discover that Stephen King has a talent for one of my most loved genres, dystopian. Long Walk is on my top list of books by him. Tess Gerritsen was a new author to me and I think I will read more by her eventually. I did enjoy Mary Tudor but felt that it lacked in information a little. Not as much focus on Mary in her early years.

This month I have decided to read the following for this challenge;

A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold by George R. R. Martin
A is For Alibi by Susan Grafton
Making History by Stephen Fry.

The Stephen Fry one I might change. I admire him a lot but I am not really in the mood to read his fiction. I have started the first one on the list and enjoying it so far (really didn't expect not to).

This month I read;

Mary Tudor by Anna Whitelock
Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut (a re-read)
The Bachman Books by Stephen King
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (trying to get through those YA)
A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (one classic a month)
The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
Gone by Michael Grant (trying to get through those YA)
A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow by George R. R. Martin
Hunger by Michael Grant (trying to get through those YA).

Like last month I am finding it difficult to chose a favourite. Most of them are up there. I am loving the George R. R. Martin series and it's getting better with each book. Slaughterhouse 5 was a very pleasant rediscovery. It was like reading it for the first time and for that it has a special place. For my classic last month I chose and author I hadn't tried before. I will definitely be reading more by Edith Wharton. I also enjoyed the second Poirot story. I think the only book I didn't like at all was "A Great And Terrible Beauty" by Libba Bray. I just didn't take to it at all. Luckily it didn't put me off coming out of my YA ban.

This month I don't have anything special planned. I got back to get my second degree so I am sure I won't have much time for anything else. I am planning to read The Odyssey though as this months classic. I am very much looking forward to that. I have been seeing references to it all over the place and have decided to see that as a sign to pick it up. I also have the fourth book in the George R. R. Martin series to look forward to (picked it up yesterday). We'll see if I can hold off getting the most recent until it's out in paper back.

How has your reading month been? Any exciting plans for the month ahead?


3 comments:

  1. A Storm of Swords (part 1 and 2) are my favourite books from the series, so hopefully you'll enjoy it!

    I'm snowed under writing my thesis so my reading is looking a little sad, but come Oct 21st I'm going to take a couple of weeks just to read everything I can get my hands on!

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  2. I don't think about my reading a month ahead. I barely follow through on what I think I'll read this week. For instance, I read and finished two books we picked up from the library on Monday. I tell you that on Sunday and Monday morning I would not have listed those books as ones I would even begin reading this week let alone suggest I would finish them. I had another book I was sure I wanted to start reading and then changed my mind.

    When it comes to my reading, I'm simply not organized enough to think past what I am going to read this morning and maybe even this afternoon.

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  3. Kayleigh, I am about 1/4 way through part 2. I swear I was in work early and was at the part at Edmund's Wedding followed by Arya's part (you'll know what I mean) and I could have screamed when I looked up and saw I had to start working. MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPEN'S. I am more than sure that come 21st Oct I will be jealous of your reading time. Meanwhile good luck with your thesis. x

    Satia, I know overall what I want to read for the month but I don't always achieve it so only plan one or two. This week I considered replacing Hunger with half a dozen other books. It's only through listing in here that I try to stick to what I originally planned. Even then if I am really not in the mood I will change it. x

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