I've disappeared for much of the year, I know. I started out with a lot of promise, reading and reviewing books, and then, whoosh, gone.

So, where've I been? ( I got a car, a house, and a son! )

I read Deerskin, by Robin McKinley, on my way back to the States after my vacation this November. A more different book - stylistically, thematically, worldly - than Changeless, I do not think I could have picked, even had I tried.

( Deerskin )

In early November, Doyle and I went on a Mediterranean cruise, from Barcelona to the West coast of Italy, and the Southern coast of France. It was lovely, aside from the monstrous jetlag. I took pictures of Chateu d'If, and am trying to figure out how to put words on a 100x100 icon such that they're legible ( Read more... )

If you're wondering why these things are taking so long, blame Dorothy Dunnett and Francis Crawford of Lymond. Blaming Lymond in particular seems to be a time-honored tradition, so you'd only be joining in. Otherwise, the book binge continues! Once again, spoilers in the discussion of series books, but nothing major.

( 3. Chronicles of Elantra (the Cast in books) by Michelle Sagara )

My brain wanted to go on vacation for most of December. It is unfortunate that it only really got its wish on the 24th, but even before that I wasn't accomplishing much because I was binging on books. Series, really, because I don't think there's one that I've read that's entirely stand-alone. This post is going to be Part I of an ongoing series ( Read more... )

At Readercon almost two years ago, sdn pulled me over after a panel and said "You like Megan Whalen Turner? Megan loves Elizabeth Wein. You should read Elizabeth Wein." (Henceforth: eegatland.) Ok, I said ( Read more... )

Four (just four, no scores) years ago, when I graduated from college, I spent a good three months applying for lab tech jobs, watching Stargate (SG-1 and Atlantis), and Firefly on my sister's computer, and otherwise emphatically vegging in her house. I think I may have been what is known as "burned out" - I still remember the feeling of being ( Read more... )

Wiscon was not what I expected. Much like rosefox, I'd heard "Readercon, only bigger" and expected it to be that.

On the other hand, I did adapt enough to have a good time. Seeing people was wonderful, and probably the highlight of the trip. Met mroctober for longer than 15 minutes, and he had no idea who I was. Saw matociquala and truepenny at the Gathering, buymeaclue, nihilistic_kid around here and ( Read more... )

Running ragged has, apparently, run me ragged. Or it could have been one of my so-called friends who dropped by Sunday night and brought his or her cold with them as a present. Whichever it is, I pulled a half-day at school and came home to drink tea, read books and papers, and generally recuperate. Unfortunately, my head's really fuzzy, so ( Read more... )

One of the weird things about this book is how long it's taken me to really figure out what I think of it. In fact, it wasn't until I was sitting at the sushi bar two hours ago that it hit me.

For me, Blood and Iron, is a problem book. matociquala has previously stated that it's a story told from the point-of-view of a villain, and that might cause people ( Read more... )