Books read #38-79
Nearly 2 months worth
38- 2/5 Somewhere Beneath Those Waves-Monette (new)(library)(paper) liked it, though some bits were too poetical and plot free for me. The plottier stories were very nice.
39- 2/5 Angel:After The Fall Vol 3-Whedon/Lynch (new)(mine)(paper)(comic) weird numbering system on these, making a little bit more sense now
40- 2/5 Angel:Immortality for Dummies Vol 1-Willingham, ect (new)(library)(paper)(comic)
41- 2/6 Angel:Crown Prince Syndrome Vol 2-Willingham, ect (new)(library)(paper)(comic) see, these two are 1 & 2 of a group, and have different subtitles, whereas the After the Fall group is numbered together and has the First Night one stuck in- confusing
42-2/6 Angel:After the Fall Vol 4-Whedon/Lynch (new)(mine)(paper)(comic)
43-2/14 The Tempering of Men-Bear, Monette (new)(library)(paper) as usual, tough to start, for this one that was mostly because of all the names and the back story from the first book, which I read about 4 years ago
44-2/19 The Unwritten:Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity: V1-Carey, Gross (reread)(mine)(paper)(comic)(bought) bought this in a SFBC bundle of 1 & 2 after getting this from the library
45-2/19 The Unwritten:Inside Man: V2-Carey, Gross (new)(mine)(paper)(comic)(bought) very much want to read the next one, should get it from the library if it's out
46-2/19 Rule 34-Strauss (new)(library)(ebook)I found the choices for pov characters odd and the world building interesting. I also perhaps identified too closely with the police detective's professional woes
47-2/22 Absolute Death-Gaiman (reread)(library)(paper) I wanted to look at one of the fancy editions to see if I should get them when I'm flush- there was one short I hadn't read, some introduction/afterword stuff and of course it was prettier than my tpbs and single issues, but I guess I'd rather get new stuff
48-2/23 6:00pm Spell Bound-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) has most of the characters I like best, but not for very long. If I'd known how dependent it was on the previous and presumably upcoming books, I might have waited for the 3rd book in this Savannah-centered series and read the three together. I still don't love Savannah, but like I think I said about the last book, I don't dislike her anymore
49-2/23 6:30pm Stories-Gaiman, Sarrantonio (new)(library)(ebook) liked about 1/3 but many were too literary to have enough plot to make me care what happened. I don't like atmospheric allegorical stories that don't have a character, plot, or world building hook for me to key in on.
50-2/23 X-Men: Fallen Angels-Duffy, Gammill, Severin, Staton (reread-mostly- I have most of the miniseries in single issue format, but not all)(library)(paper)(comic) kind of bizarre in a '80s kind of way
51-2/24- Titans:Family Reunion- Wallace, Fiorentino (new)(library)(paper)(comic) I looked up a bunch of things to figure out how this fit into continuity. Also, I thought that the Batman characterization was way off until I realized it was Dick Grayson
52-2/25 The Last Run-Rucka (new)(library)(paper) I still don't like the Tara Chance books as much as the Atticus ones, but this was pretty good. I do like that there's a female lead that I can identify with, but it's too british/geopolitical for me to love it like i love the other series. This is a nice ending to the series.
53-2/29 11:50am The Practice Effect-Brin (new) (library)(paper) started off very golden age of SF, with the scientist-hero who is frustrated by lab politics and with a scheming wannabe girlfriend and a cuts-corners lab rival, but it gets better and scientist boy is only obtuse in the new situation he's put into long enough to be realistic, not so long that it's frustrating.
54-3/2 Nikolai Dante: Too Cool to Kill (new)(library)(paper)(comic) funny and good looking and very 2000 AD
55-3/3-Ruse:The Victorian Guide to Murder-Waid, etc (new)(library)(paper)(comic) one of my favorites, didn't know marvel was putting out new crossgen comics (at least as of last year)
56-3/3-Xombi-Rozum, Irving (new)(library)(paper)(comic) reviewed favorably on Tor a couple months ago, deeply weird, very nifty
57-3/3-Incorruptible:Vol 4- Waid, Takara (new)(library)(paper)(comic) I do tend to like Waid's writing. I should put the whole thing on hold because I'm not sure if I've read the whole thing- there's also a sister title- Irredeemable- that I should pick up, at least at the library
58-3/4 Naked City-ed. Datlow (new)(library)(paper) I do prefer tightly themed anthologies and I liked this one better than #61
59-3/6 In Great Waters-Whitfield (new)(library)(paper) I kept putting this one off but it was fascinating. Not as quickly moving as I wanted it to be- I wanted less slow bits and more quick moving plot stuff, but it was good
60-3/6 11:30pm Snuff-Pratchett (new)(library)(paper) a typical Vimes book, with a bit of Austen thrown in-kind of a Vimes goes to the country thing. Terrific as usual
61-3/9 8:10pm Human For a Day-ed Greenberg, Brozaic (new)(library)(paper) meh- some good, some bleh
62-3/10 7:00pm Kitty and the Silver Bullet-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper)
63-3/11 1:20pm Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper) this series is pretty fun and light and gives you werewolves and some vamps without much sex. Between her and Armstrong, I barely miss the old Anita Blake :)
64-3/11 5:00pm Steel-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper) a nice YA with semi historical pirates and time travel and stuff
65-3/12 11:00am The Magicians-Grossman (new)(library)(ebook) loved it-even though the protagonists aren't really likable and the settings are homages (or pastiches). Looking forward to reading the next one, which I just picked up from the library
66-3/12 6:00pm The Summoning-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper)
67-3/12 8:00pm The Awakening-Armstrong(new)(library)(paper)
68-3/12 10:00pm The Reckoning-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) liked this series a lot, but it made me depressed, as most of the 'locked up for being insane but not really insane' stuff does.
69-3/13 Kitty Raises Hell-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper)
70-3/14 9:45pm Maybe This Time-Crusie (new)(library)(paper) liked it a lot. The main character doesn't want to have kids but bonds with her ex's wards in a way that was realistic to me
71-3/15 1:00am Kitty's Greatest Hits-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper)
72-3/15 11:00pm Wild Ride-Crusie & Mayer (new)(library)(paper)
73-3/16 1:30 am Crazy Enough-Large (new)(library)(paper) very weird to read about the life of someone you kind of know, that occasionally features other people you know.
74-3/16 5:15pm The Gathering-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) not really a whole book. If I hadn't read most of the other stuff from her linked series I'd be pretty pissed to have so little closure, even for book 1 of I think 3
75-3/17 5:00pm Restless in the Grave-Stabenow (new)(library)(paper) With her 2 Alaska series leads in the same book (though it's definitely a Kate book in Liam's setting) it become too obvious that the Liam series is mostly a variant of the first series, with the serial # filed off. A handsome trooper, often worrying about keeping his uniform nice, in a LTR with a Native or part Native woman, who's worried a bit about his monogamy, each of whom is tough and independent yet who find themselves with teenage wards who got out of bad situations. Both women also both have older father/grandfather figures that have/had secrets about their past. I found myself mixing up the two troopers' backstories. It was a good story and a good reason for Kate to be called in, there were just too many parallels between the two series.
76-3/17 8:45pm Hidden-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) a short novel with Clay and Elena and family
77-3/19 The Gift of Fear-De Becker (new)(mine)(bought)(ebook-kindle)
78-3/21 2:15pm Down These Strange Streets-Ed Martin, Dozois (new)(paper)(library) while presenting a definition that, to me, narrowed what urban fantasy is, they then included a bunch of stuff that didn't seem to fit. There were 2 Roman empire stories and one set on an island in Alaska during WWII, also a couple fantasy cities. Mostly they were mysteries, many of which were in cities. Many were ok, some were good, I don't remember any I outright disliked entirely.
79-3/22 4:00pm My Blood Approves-Hocking (new)(mine-bought-Nook, .99)(ebook) I think I'll write more about this one later.
Rereads-10
New reads-69
Comic collections or Graphic Novels-21
Non-comics stuff-58
library-paper-56
Library- ebooks-6
bought-paper-5
bought-ebooks-6
free ebooks-0
38- 2/5 Somewhere Beneath Those Waves-Monette (new)(library)(paper) liked it, though some bits were too poetical and plot free for me. The plottier stories were very nice.
39- 2/5 Angel:After The Fall Vol 3-Whedon/Lynch (new)(mine)(paper)(comic) weird numbering system on these, making a little bit more sense now
40- 2/5 Angel:Immortality for Dummies Vol 1-Willingham, ect (new)(library)(paper)(comic)
41- 2/6 Angel:Crown Prince Syndrome Vol 2-Willingham, ect (new)(library)(paper)(comic) see, these two are 1 & 2 of a group, and have different subtitles, whereas the After the Fall group is numbered together and has the First Night one stuck in- confusing
42-2/6 Angel:After the Fall Vol 4-Whedon/Lynch (new)(mine)(paper)(comic)
43-2/14 The Tempering of Men-Bear, Monette (new)(library)(paper) as usual, tough to start, for this one that was mostly because of all the names and the back story from the first book, which I read about 4 years ago
44-2/19 The Unwritten:Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity: V1-Carey, Gross (reread)(mine)(paper)(comic)(bought) bought this in a SFBC bundle of 1 & 2 after getting this from the library
45-2/19 The Unwritten:Inside Man: V2-Carey, Gross (new)(mine)(paper)(comic)(bought) very much want to read the next one, should get it from the library if it's out
46-2/19 Rule 34-Strauss (new)(library)(ebook)I found the choices for pov characters odd and the world building interesting. I also perhaps identified too closely with the police detective's professional woes
47-2/22 Absolute Death-Gaiman (reread)(library)(paper) I wanted to look at one of the fancy editions to see if I should get them when I'm flush- there was one short I hadn't read, some introduction/afterword stuff and of course it was prettier than my tpbs and single issues, but I guess I'd rather get new stuff
48-2/23 6:00pm Spell Bound-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) has most of the characters I like best, but not for very long. If I'd known how dependent it was on the previous and presumably upcoming books, I might have waited for the 3rd book in this Savannah-centered series and read the three together. I still don't love Savannah, but like I think I said about the last book, I don't dislike her anymore
49-2/23 6:30pm Stories-Gaiman, Sarrantonio (new)(library)(ebook) liked about 1/3 but many were too literary to have enough plot to make me care what happened. I don't like atmospheric allegorical stories that don't have a character, plot, or world building hook for me to key in on.
50-2/23 X-Men: Fallen Angels-Duffy, Gammill, Severin, Staton (reread-mostly- I have most of the miniseries in single issue format, but not all)(library)(paper)(comic) kind of bizarre in a '80s kind of way
51-2/24- Titans:Family Reunion- Wallace, Fiorentino (new)(library)(paper)(comic) I looked up a bunch of things to figure out how this fit into continuity. Also, I thought that the Batman characterization was way off until I realized it was Dick Grayson
52-2/25 The Last Run-Rucka (new)(library)(paper) I still don't like the Tara Chance books as much as the Atticus ones, but this was pretty good. I do like that there's a female lead that I can identify with, but it's too british/geopolitical for me to love it like i love the other series. This is a nice ending to the series.
53-2/29 11:50am The Practice Effect-Brin (new) (library)(paper) started off very golden age of SF, with the scientist-hero who is frustrated by lab politics and with a scheming wannabe girlfriend and a cuts-corners lab rival, but it gets better and scientist boy is only obtuse in the new situation he's put into long enough to be realistic, not so long that it's frustrating.
54-3/2 Nikolai Dante: Too Cool to Kill (new)(library)(paper)(comic) funny and good looking and very 2000 AD
55-3/3-Ruse:The Victorian Guide to Murder-Waid, etc (new)(library)(paper)(comic) one of my favorites, didn't know marvel was putting out new crossgen comics (at least as of last year)
56-3/3-Xombi-Rozum, Irving (new)(library)(paper)(comic) reviewed favorably on Tor a couple months ago, deeply weird, very nifty
57-3/3-Incorruptible:Vol 4- Waid, Takara (new)(library)(paper)(comic) I do tend to like Waid's writing. I should put the whole thing on hold because I'm not sure if I've read the whole thing- there's also a sister title- Irredeemable- that I should pick up, at least at the library
58-3/4 Naked City-ed. Datlow (new)(library)(paper) I do prefer tightly themed anthologies and I liked this one better than #61
59-3/6 In Great Waters-Whitfield (new)(library)(paper) I kept putting this one off but it was fascinating. Not as quickly moving as I wanted it to be- I wanted less slow bits and more quick moving plot stuff, but it was good
60-3/6 11:30pm Snuff-Pratchett (new)(library)(paper) a typical Vimes book, with a bit of Austen thrown in-kind of a Vimes goes to the country thing. Terrific as usual
61-3/9 8:10pm Human For a Day-ed Greenberg, Brozaic (new)(library)(paper) meh- some good, some bleh
62-3/10 7:00pm Kitty and the Silver Bullet-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper)
63-3/11 1:20pm Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper) this series is pretty fun and light and gives you werewolves and some vamps without much sex. Between her and Armstrong, I barely miss the old Anita Blake :)
64-3/11 5:00pm Steel-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper) a nice YA with semi historical pirates and time travel and stuff
65-3/12 11:00am The Magicians-Grossman (new)(library)(ebook) loved it-even though the protagonists aren't really likable and the settings are homages (or pastiches). Looking forward to reading the next one, which I just picked up from the library
66-3/12 6:00pm The Summoning-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper)
67-3/12 8:00pm The Awakening-Armstrong(new)(library)(paper)
68-3/12 10:00pm The Reckoning-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) liked this series a lot, but it made me depressed, as most of the 'locked up for being insane but not really insane' stuff does.
69-3/13 Kitty Raises Hell-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper)
70-3/14 9:45pm Maybe This Time-Crusie (new)(library)(paper) liked it a lot. The main character doesn't want to have kids but bonds with her ex's wards in a way that was realistic to me
71-3/15 1:00am Kitty's Greatest Hits-Vaughn (new)(library)(paper)
72-3/15 11:00pm Wild Ride-Crusie & Mayer (new)(library)(paper)
73-3/16 1:30 am Crazy Enough-Large (new)(library)(paper) very weird to read about the life of someone you kind of know, that occasionally features other people you know.
74-3/16 5:15pm The Gathering-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) not really a whole book. If I hadn't read most of the other stuff from her linked series I'd be pretty pissed to have so little closure, even for book 1 of I think 3
75-3/17 5:00pm Restless in the Grave-Stabenow (new)(library)(paper) With her 2 Alaska series leads in the same book (though it's definitely a Kate book in Liam's setting) it become too obvious that the Liam series is mostly a variant of the first series, with the serial # filed off. A handsome trooper, often worrying about keeping his uniform nice, in a LTR with a Native or part Native woman, who's worried a bit about his monogamy, each of whom is tough and independent yet who find themselves with teenage wards who got out of bad situations. Both women also both have older father/grandfather figures that have/had secrets about their past. I found myself mixing up the two troopers' backstories. It was a good story and a good reason for Kate to be called in, there were just too many parallels between the two series.
76-3/17 8:45pm Hidden-Armstrong (new)(library)(paper) a short novel with Clay and Elena and family
77-3/19 The Gift of Fear-De Becker (new)(mine)(bought)(ebook-kindle)
78-3/21 2:15pm Down These Strange Streets-Ed Martin, Dozois (new)(paper)(library) while presenting a definition that, to me, narrowed what urban fantasy is, they then included a bunch of stuff that didn't seem to fit. There were 2 Roman empire stories and one set on an island in Alaska during WWII, also a couple fantasy cities. Mostly they were mysteries, many of which were in cities. Many were ok, some were good, I don't remember any I outright disliked entirely.
79-3/22 4:00pm My Blood Approves-Hocking (new)(mine-bought-Nook, .99)(ebook) I think I'll write more about this one later.
Rereads-10
New reads-69
Comic collections or Graphic Novels-21
Non-comics stuff-58
library-paper-56
Library- ebooks-6
bought-paper-5
bought-ebooks-6
free ebooks-0