Last year I hit my goal of 52 by my birthday in July and this year I am way, way ahead of that pace. It looks like I have a realistic shot at 144 or 12 a month at this rate. I still don't think I can do that, but at this point it is still plausible so I have some hope. The month I only read a couple is the one month that could kill this possibility. It still has not happened though, so I am continuing to crank through my reading lists. I also must admit I am getting a bit tired of all the series fiction in a way because I really have tended toward narrative non-fiction in recent years. It will be good to finish these various series in the coming months.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
The penultimate book of a series has no choice but to leave a bunch of stuff unresolved ... and this does that.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
A solid finish to an enjoyable series.
Distant Waves: A Novel Of The Titanic by Suzanne Weyn
I find Tesla to be one of the most interesting people in history. This gift from my daughter places him on the Titanic amongst other real life characters and a group of fictional sisters.
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
I am pretty much firmly entrenched in the whole Twilight universe at this point. So, when I picked this up for my daughter I just went ahead and sat down and read it. Actually, a few more of these from Meyer might not be a bad idea in re filling in the blanks of the world she created.
Dead To The World by Charlaine Harris
Sookie and Eric kissing in a tree ... oops, spoiler alert if you watch True Blood.
The Dragon Factory by Jonathan Maberry
The second Joe Ledger novel. This time, instead of mad scientists trying to make the world into zombies we have hidden Nazis trying to kill everyone that doesn't look like them through genetic diseases. As I read that it doesn't sound very good, but it actually is an enjoyable read if you like thrillers.
Time and Materials: Poems 1997-2005 by Robert Hass
Every once in a while it is good to grab a book of poetry. And, even though I found Hass' use of language to be enjoyable and his ability to paint a picture with words to be quite good, it really is hard to sit down and simply read a book of poetry straight through. Poems really should be read, reread, and mulled upon.
Memories of the Future (Vol. One) by Wil Wheaton
TNG was awful in a really entertaining way in its first season. To read the first hand accounts of the first half of a first season nearly as bad as Star Trek V: The Final Frontier from someone who was there and loves it as much for its flaws as its future greatness is worthwhile.
Burning Chrome by William Gibson
A collection of short stories from scifi icon Gibson was something I just grabbed off the shelf when I needed a book. His ability to look into the future to create near future realities is amazing. I wish someone else had played Johnny Mnemonic in the film version of one of these shorts, but so be it.
The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett
There is a real anti-intellectual and enti-reading element to our modern culture. The fact that England still has a monarchy is kind of silly. That is what this novella is about.
Beatrice And Virgil by Yann Martel
I had the good fortune to hear Yann Martel read from this novel this Spring. I found myself flying through this novel and really enjoying it. I was not certain where he was taking us as it wound down and then boom it hit and I did not see that coming. Martel is a true literary genius.
July total = 11 / YTD = 85 (goal 100)
