November Reading List 2013.

Yes, I am just crazy enough not to be slacking on books while writing NaNoWriMo this month. Boy, do I have a list of books I'm excited to read this month! I hardly think there's an author in here that I haven't been excited enough to either make a post about up till now, or plan to write about soon enough.

Grave Surprise.

This is the first of many of my continued series reads. Last year, I started the first one in Charlaine Harris' series after it was given to me for free. I've always meant to get back to it. Luckily, there are a bunch of readers on Goodreads who are happy to join me in that aim.

Magic Strikes.

The second continued series read. This book series just keeps getting better and better. Not quite as amazing as Patricia Briggs (I know, I'm a hard judge), but more in keeping with a female Dresden by Jim Butcher. As with that series, the more we get to know about this world, the more and more I'm being dragged into it.

Ship of Destiny.

This is actually the last book in a series, so at least one series will be closing up for me this month. Totally reason for me to start a whole bunch of new series? Whether it is or not, that's what I've got coming up this month!

Wideacre.

I first fell in love with Philippa Gregory reading The Queen's Fool. This is a very different time and type of story. Still historical, the main narrative point that has jumped out at me is that it involves incest between brother and sister. Intriguing, I say.

Charmed Life.

Another first book in a series. This also doubles as my young adult token read of the month. Apparently this is the woman who has taken a large hand in defining Young Adult writing as we currently read it. Published in 1977, I can't wait to see where Young Adult writing has developed from.

Five Quarters of the Orange.

For all I know, this is another young adult-ish read. Heavy on the "ish" as this is not usually the style of writing that Joanne Harris employs. However, what I do know about this novel is that it's meant to be a book primarily about childhood. So. It's not part of a series, but it is the second book I've read by her this year.

Shelf Life.

This book doesn't appear in the picture, largely because I have it on ebook format. Still, I have been waiting for the next great book from Stephanie Lawton, and I have been lucky enough to score an ARC just before release. Be assured, there will be more written about this book to come!

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As ever, feel free to follow my progress on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878229.Nicole_D_Fergusson

October 2013 reading list

I intend to read a lot of books this month.

Actually, there's one more book that should be here but which needed to be returned to the library when I went down yesterday. Insurgent was read really quickly this month. It was just that good. 

I know this post is just a little bit later than I usually post these, but there were some books that I didn't have in my possession until the library brought them in for me. What's truly funny about the above photo, though, is knowing how many books I have in this house, and seeing that I have pulled all but one of them out of a combination of local libraries. 

Insurgent.

5/5 - Much better than expected!
After reading the first one in this series, I was a bit wary about picking this one up, but it was one hell of a book! Much much better than the first. Enjoyable, easy to read, believable. Makes me want to dive immediately for the last one.

Scarlet.

4/5 - Really enjoyable. Can't wait to see what comes next.
Another sequel. Another young adult novel. After reading the first book in this series, I knew the second one was going to be a winner, and from what I've read so far, it is. Where Cinder was about the story of Cinderella in a future version of this world, Scarlet is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a retold story about Little Red Riding Hood. Usually, I'm sick of Little Red Riding Hood stories, having studied them to death in university, but this one definitely brings something new to the tale while keeping true to a lot of the old tropes.

Discovery of Witches.

DNF - There's at least one in every month.
Many people have suggested I read this one. Thankfully for me, I have a complete and utter weakness for books that people take the time to consider might be for me. So it's on the list.

The Book Thief

5/5 - Stunning. A book that stays with you.
Another book that too many people around me were talking about, so I just had to have a look. All I knew going in was that it was narrated by Death (look at the cover again :D). **Spoiler** It is about World War II in Germany. Just something I think people should get a heads up on.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

5/5 - Evocative, thoughtful and somehow honest. 
I have only ever tried to read one other of Neil Gaiman's books, and it was American Gods. This book is much shorter and has a quasi-memoir nature to it that we don't usually find in Gaiman's books. I absolutely cant wait to crack this one open.

The Realms of the Gods

4/5 - Lots of fun to reread.
This is the last in a series of buddy reads I have been doing with friends online over the last several months. Usually, I try not to reread things because 1) there are just too many books and I feel behind as it is, but 2) especially for books I read so long ago, it is hard to review them like I try to do on my Goodreads account with every book read. Still, its been enjoyable to come back to this old favourite, and I'm probably going to be hard pressed not to return to other Tortall books after this month.

Magic Burns

3/5 - Pretty good, still don't feel like I've gotten into the series yet. 
Another book series I started last month and am continuing through on this month. Apparently, though, this series has six books in it so far. So it'll keep me busy for another couple of months yet. Just your run of the mill paranormal fantasy series so far. Not as good as Patricia Briggs, but it has the element of post apocalyptic world setting going for it.

The Secret of Ella and Misha

DNF - There's at least one in every month.
Jessica Sorensen is a name that just keeps popping up around everywhere lately, so when I had this chance to pick up her book this month, I made sure to do it. Also, it's a fairly short novel. How hard would it be to add an eighth  book to my month, right? (Especially when I'm more used to reading six books per month, no trouble at all!)

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Oh loyal readers of this blog, you should know how to get to my Goodreads account by now. However, if you don't, it's here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878229.Nicole_D_Fergusson