One gross AND a baker's dozen for Karene

2012 will be a year for indulging my passion for Science Fiction and some of it's subgenres (and while I do have a category for series, I have discovered there are several that I would like to read so I am going to incorporate as many of them as I can into my 2012 challenge).

1. Is reserved for Isaac...The Grandmaster of Science Fiction.

2. Steampunk! For those guys and gals who did it long ago...

3. Vampires.

4. Space Opera (out we go...)

5. Apocalyptic/ Post Apocalyptic/ Dystopian (where did we go wrong?).

6. Fantasy.

7. Military (photon torpedoes away!).

8. O Prolific Ones... (series).

Non Science Fiction Categories (because I don't read it ALL of the time... just most of it...but if I can fit it into any of these categories I will!).

9. With a Twist (more than one genre in the same book).

10. Mystery.

11. Classics.

12. Intriguing Ones.

Just For Isaac


1. Earth is Room Enough.
2. Prelude to Foundation.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/03/prelude-to-and-forward-foundation.html
3. Forward the Foundation.
4. The Best of Isaac Asimov.
5. Foundation's Edge.
6. Foundation and Earth.
7. I, Robot.
8. The Bicentennial Man.
9. Buy Jupiter and Other Stories.
10. Gold: The Final Science Fiction Collection.
11. Opus 200.
12. Robot Dreams.

Steampunk!


1. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volume One by Alan Moore.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/01/league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen.html
2. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volume Two by Alan Moore.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/06/league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen.html
3. Leviathan by Scott Westerfield. *So good!!*
4. Behemoth by Scott Westerfield.
5. Goliath by Scott Westerfield.
6. Steam Powered Passion by Corinne Davies. *Ugh! Tripiest tripe ever*
7. Flaming London by Joe R. Lansdale.
8. Steam Man of the Prairie and the Dark Rider Get Down by Joe R. Lansdale.
9. A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah! by Harry Harrison.
10. Morlock NIght by K.W. Jeter
11. The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier.
12.Infernal Devices by K.W Jeter

Vampires


1. Dracula by Bram Stoker.
2. The Vampire Cabbie by Fred Schepartz.
3. Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly.
4. Traveling With the Dead by Barbara Hambly.
5. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.
6. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
7. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.
8. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer.
9. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.
10. The Vampire Hunter by Lisa Childs.
11. The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
12. Last Kiss by Dominique Adair.

Space Opera


1. The Skylark of Space by E.E. "Doc" Smith. *I rolled my eyes so much while I read this I am amazed they aren't stuck in that position!*
2. City at World's End by Edmond Hamilton.
3. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
4. Gulliver of Mars by Edwin L. Arnold.
5. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century by Phil Nowlan. *Another eye-rolling adventure*
6. Marooned on Mars by Lester Del Rey.
7. Stand By For Mars by Carey Rockwell.
8. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury.
9. Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein.
10. Bill, the Galactic Hero by Harry Harrison.
11. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke.
12. Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke.

Apocalyptic /Post Apocalyptic/ Dystopian


1. The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. *Great post-apocalyptic literature from my youth...*
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. *Dystopia*
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. *Dystopia*
4. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. *Dystopia*
5. I Am Legend by Stephen Matheson. *Post-Apocalyptic *http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/06/i-am-legend.html
6. The Scarlet Plague by Jack London. *Post Apocalyptic*
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. *Dystopia*
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/07/fahrenheit-451.html
8. The Year When Stardust Fell by Raymond F. Jones. *Apocalyptic*
9. The Second Variety by Philip K. Dick. *Post-Apocalyptic*
10. The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters. *Pre-Apocalyptic*
11. Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov. *Pre-Apocalyptic*
12. Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny. *Post- Apocalyptic*

Fantasy

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
2. The Alchemist : A Graphic Novel by Paulo Coelho.
3.Eragon by Christopher Paolini.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/eragonthe-inheritance-cycle-is-overat.html
4. Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/eldest-inheritance-cycle.html
5. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/brisingr-inheritance-cycle-again.html
6. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/inheritance.html
7. Into the Land of Snows by Ellis Nelson.
8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling.
9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.
10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling.
11. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Graphic Novel by L. Frank Baum et al.,
12. The Epic of Gilgamesh.

Military Sci-Fi


1. Broken Bow by Diane Carey. *In my humble opinion, the BEST Star Trek storyline*
2. By The Book by Dean Wesley Smith.
3. Shockwave by Paul Ruditis.
4. What Price Honor by Dave Stern.
5. Daedalus by Dave Stern.
6. Surak's Soul by J.M. Dillard.
7. The Warlord of the Air by Michael Moorcock. *While this trilogy is labelled as proto-steampunk, it was written before the eighties and is about time travel and war (being the predominant feature), so here I will put them.
8. Land Leviathan by Michael Moorcock.
9. The Steel Tsar by Michael Moorcock.
10. Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/03/foundation-trilogy.html
11. Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov.
12. Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov.

O Proilific Ones (series)


1. Conquistador de la Noche by Carrie Vaughn. *Brand new series for me!*
2. Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn. *I wasn't sure if I would like an urban fantasy as told by a werewolf protagonist, but so far I am curious to go on and see what happens next.*
3. Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn.
4. Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn.
5. Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn.
6. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn. *Even though there are a few more from this series that I could read, I find that this last book is a good stopping point for me. I have had enough of this storyline and don't see the point in reading more about this protagonist, I liked where this last story ended so I'm happy with not going on because I cannot see what else she could have done with this story after all the 'happy ever afters' have been achieved...*
7. Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time: Predator by William F. Wu.
8. Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time: Marauder by Wiliam F. Wu.
9. Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time: Warrior by William F. Wu.
10. Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time: Dictator by William F. Wu.
11. Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time; Emperor by William F. Wu.
12. Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time; Invader by William F. Wu.

With a Twist (more than one genre)


1. An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris. Mystery/Fantasy.
*Another Great Harper Connelly novel*
2. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Crime/Fantasy/Alternate History.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/03/eyre-affair.html
3. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris. Mystery/Fantasy/Romance
4. Asimov's Mysteries by Isaac Asimov. Mystery/Science Fiction.
5. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris. Mystery/Fantasy/Romance.
6. Clockworks and Corsets by Regina Riley. Steampunk/Romance.
7. The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov. Mystery/Science Fiction.
8. The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov. Mystery/Science Fiction.
9. The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov Mystery/Science Fiction
10. Sherlock Holmes: The Army of Doctor Moreau by Guy Adams. Mystery/Science Fiction.
11. Night of the Living Trekkies by Kevin David Anderson.
12. Sherlock Holmes and the Zombie Problem by Nick S. Thomas.

Mystery


1. The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer.
*Read because Fu Manchu was featured in The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume One*
2. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie.
3. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie.
4. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie.
5. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.
6. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie.
7. 4.50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie.
8. They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie.
9. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie.
10. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agatha Christie.
11. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie.
12. At Bertam's Hotel by Agatha Christie.

Classics (and 1001 Books To Read Before You Die)


1. King Solomon's Mines by Henry Rider Haggard.
*Alan Quartermain is featured in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume One, I was grossed out in the beginning by all the hunting, but it got interesting once the adventures started*
2. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming.
*Loosely based on a character from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume One, 007 is his grandson. I read it for this reason and because it is on the 1001 list... it was a bit of a trial for me though as this is not a genre I am interested in (and I suspect I might just stick to the 007 movies from now on)*
3. Breakfast at Tiffanys by Truman Capote.
4. The Color Purple by Alice Walker.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/color-purple.html
5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/03/great-expectations.html
6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
7. Kim by Rudyard Kipling.
8. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
10. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.
11. Persuasion by Jane Austen.
12. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.

Intriguing Ones (titles so appealing I cannot resist!)


1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransome Riggs.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/inheritance.html
2. The Meowmorphosis by Franz Kafka and Cook Coleridge.
3. You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News by Cracked.com
4. An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke.
5. Forgive My Fins by Tera Lyn Childs.
6. Aesop Updated: Fables For the Third Millenium by Barry Daniels.
7. Eggs, Beans and Crumpets by P.G. Wodehouse.
8. Rakes and Radishes by Susanna Ives.
9. Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin. *Double laugh and snort
fest...every dig was well earned.
10. Fifty Shades of Alice in Wonderland by Melinda DuChamp. *How far will this Fifty Shades stuff go??*
11. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Schafer and Annie Barrows.
12. It Came From Outer Space by Ian Thorne.

The Bakers Dozen

I came up with a bakers dozen because twelve categories did not seem enough to me since I had so many other ones I wanted to try... so 13 other categories (at least 3 to 6 books in each).

I'm also going to have a go at the TIOLI challenges as it is nothing I have ever done before and it looks like fun.

2012 has twelve months challenge

1. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie.
2. Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
3. Third Girl by Agatha Christie.
4. The Big Four by Agatha Christie.
5. Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie.
6. Pump Six by Paolo Bacigalupi.
7. The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie.
8. The Eighth Room by Stephen Baxter.
9. Nine Tomorrows: Tales of the Near Future by Isaac Asimov.
10. The October Country by Ray Bradbury.
11. One Plus One Equals Eleven by G.C. Edmondson.
12. Holmes For The Holidays, in particular the short story The Thief of Twelth Night by Carole Nelson Douglas.

2012 starts with food.
I like this challenge as I am always testing new vegan cookbooks.

1. Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo *My favorite recipe out of this one was the Taco Salad, it uses quite a few recipes from the book; I first put chopped Romaine lettuce on the plate, then spread raw chili over the top of that, crumbled bought tortilla chips, Chipotle cheese and taco-nut meat on top of that and dolloped guacamole over all. Mmmm... my mouth is watering just thinking about it*
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/01/eating-in-rawniverse.html
2. Raw Food Cleanse by Penni Shelton. *Made Janine's Pineapple Thai Salad which .was so delicious! Chunks of pineapple, cucumber and pepper with cilantro, green onions and raw nuts ( I used almonds) with a delicious Thai dressing*
3. Raw Energy: 124 Raw Food Recipes by Stephanie Tourles * Made the Orange-Apricot Blood Builder Smoothie... a great post-workout snack*
4. 1000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson. *Versatile Vegetable Soup*
5. The Everyday Vegan by Dreena Burton. *Mediterranean sauce... my favorite sauce
for pasta!*
6. Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. *Black bean and Quinoa Salad*
7.Let Them Eat Vegan by Dreena Burton. *Pan-fried Falafels, Quinoa Tabouli, SMoked Tahini Sauce, Mediterranean Bean Burgers...all very yummy*.
8. Eat, Drink and Be Vegan by Dreena Burton. *Warm Potato and Spinach Salad*
9. 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson. *Curried Stirfry...curry in a hurry!*.
10. Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special. Corn Chowder.
11. Let Them Eat Vegan a delicious barley risotto with broiled asparagus and a desert of apple and cherry crumble from The Everyday Vegan topped with celestial cream from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. It was a fabulous meal!
12. Vegan Vittles by Joanne Stepaniak. *Made the Pot Roast for a company dinner*

I'm glad you will be focusing on science fiction, since that's one of my categories that will probably be hard for me to fill. I look forward to getting ideas from your thread!

Romance


1. Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James.
2. Fifty Shades Darker by EL James.
3. Fifty Shades Freed by EL James.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/06/fifty-shades-trilogy-few-suggestions.html
4. French Kiss by Susan Johnson.

Seasonal (holidays etc.,)


1. Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels.
*OK I have never read Fern Michaels before... not sure I will again. I was just looking for a Christmas story but instead I got a drama which seemed to be written for a TV movie. Definitely NOT what I was looking for in a Christmas story.*
2. No Holly For Miss Quinn by Miss Read.
*Miss Read is an essential at Christmastime.*
3. Pumpkinhead by Eric Rohman.
4. The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury.
5. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies! by Michael P Spradlin.

Fiction (for those that don't fit into my other categories).

1. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami. *My first by him...it was great!!*
2. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. *I have a really hard time finding any one placement for H.G. Wells... he doesn't seem to fit in any one sub-genre so for this year I will have to place him here. Next year I will have to just have a basic science fiction category for these kinds of stories*
3. The Country of the Blind and Other Science-Fiction Stories by H.G. Wells.
4. The Fog Horn by Ray Bradbury.

I still call Australia home :-)

Here's the plan: I have, over the years, downloaded numerous science fiction and fantasy short stories written by Australians and have never gotten around to reading them... so this will be the year to enjoy them

1. By Garth Nix... Holly and Iron.
2. By Greg Egan... Appropriate Love/ Artifact/ The Caress/ The Way She Smiles, The Things She Says/ The Cutie/ The Walk/ Unstable Orbits in the Space of Lies/ Chaff.
3. By A. Bertram Chandler... A New Dimension/ Chance Encounter/ Forbidden Planet/ Ghost/ Haunt/

The Europeans.


1. Nana by Emile Zola.
2. Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi.
3. Candide by Voltaire.

North American Authors.


1. Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje (Canadian). * My First Ondaatje... I gave it a resounding "Erm...what??.*
2. The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon (Canadian) *Love, love loved it!*
3. Man Overboard! by Curtis Parkinson. Historical/Adventure fiction.
My comments for Early Reviewers: I really enjoyed reading this book! I am a fan of pulp fiction and I would definitely place this book in that category. I like it even more so because this is a Canadian adventure. If I still had my sons at home I would be buying up more from this author for their reading pleasure. The story was crisp, engaging from the very beginning and ended very well. It is written in the very spirit of a pulp fiction tale with not a lot of character development or scenery description to bog the story down and lose the attention of the targeted audience. I particularly like the way the book handled, it actually felt like a pulp novel in my hand and the cover is really neat and reminiscent of that period. My dilemma now is if I should keep it for myself or add it to the collection at the elementary school library where I work... ( )
4. Devil's Pass by Sigmund Bouwer.

The UK.


1. A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift.
2. Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/before-i-go-to-sleep.html
3. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen.

Non Fiction.


1. When You Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair by Geneen Roth. *This book changed my life when I first read it over a decade ago, and I like to go back to it every couple of years to see how I am doing*
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/50-ways-to-feel-thin-gorgeousand-happy.html
2. Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Sweden by Kaffe Fassett et al.
3. Bossypants by Tina Fey.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/some-things-you-can-never-get-back.html
4. Country Living Country Quilts by Country Living.
5. 50 Things You Can Do Today To Manage Hay Fever by Wendy Green.

Jane-ish (books written with Jane Austen as a character or characters from her books).

1. Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange.
*It isn't my favorite version, but I am a collector so this had to be added*
2. Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith.
*I enjoyed this more than I expected*
3. Pride & Prejudice: Graphic Novel by Nancy Butler & Hugo Petrus.
4. Lady Susan /Sanditon /The Watsons by Jane Austen.

Prize Winners of speculative/science/fantasy fiction.


1. Newbery Medal When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Time travel).
2. Caldecott Medal The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Steampunk/Historical).
3. The Red Maple Award Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen.
4. Man Booker Prize True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey.

Anthologies.

1. Geektastic by Holly Black et al. *A perfect collection of short stories*.
2. Unholy Orders Edited by Servita Stevens.
3. An Apple For the Creature by Charlaine Harris et al.,

Gigantoid / Big 'uns (more than 500 pages and limited to just one book in this category).

1. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.
http://kpolhuis.blogspot.ca/2012/02/jonathan-strange-and-mr-norrell.html

School Stories (unlimited) I work at a school library so it's nice to have a place to list all the novels I read from work.


1. Big Nate in a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce.
2. Little Voice by Ruby Slipperjack.
3. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine.
4. My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie Accidental Zombie by David Lubar.
5. The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets by Roald Dahl.
6. Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker.
7. Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens by Mary Pope Osborne.
8. A Bear Named Trouble by Marion Dane Bauer.
9. Be A Writing Superstar by Joel A. Sutherland.
10. Justin Fisher Declares War! by James Preller.
11. Marshmallow Magic and the Wild Rose Rouge by Karen McCombie.
12. Minerva Clark Goes to the Dogs by Karen Karbo.
13. Swindle by Gordon Korman.
14. The Great Plague by Pamela Oldfield.
15. Listen! by Stephanie S. Tolan.
16. Dancing Through the Snow by Jean Little.
17. Winter Camp by Kirkpatrick Hill.
18. A Desperate Road to Freedom by Karleen Bradford.
19. The Meanwhile Adventures by Roddy Doyle.
20. One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte.
21. George Brown, Class Clown by Nancy Krulik.
22. Sudden Drop by H.I. Larry.
23. Captain Awesome to the Rescue by Stan Kirby.
24. Zeke Meeks vs the Stinkin' Science Fair by D.L. Green.
25. The Giver by Lois Lowry.
26. Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper.
27. Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac.
28. You're a Brave Man, Julius Zimmerman by Claudia Mills.
29. Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach.
30. Crossing to Freedom by Virginia Frances Schwartz.
31. Something To Tell by Ann Alma.
32. Japanese Children's Favorite Stories edited by Florence Sakade.
33. Danger in Disguise by Mary Alice Downie & John Downie.
34. The Keeper and the Crows by Andrea Spalding.
35. A Perfect Gentle Knight by Kit Pearson.
36. Survivors! True Death-Defying Escapes by Larry Verstraete
37. This Can't Be Happening At Macdonald Hall! by Gordon Korman.
38. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner.
39. The Twits by Roald Dahl.
40. The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street by Sharon G Flake.
41. Horse Shy by Bonnie Bryant.
42. Scary Stories: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz.
43. Heartland: New Beginnings by Lauren Brooke
44. Rip Van Winkle & The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.
45. Kenny & the Dragon by Tony Diterlizzi.
46. How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell.
47. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
48. World War II Resistance Stories by Arthur Prager.
49. Rose by Jeff Smith.
50. The BFG by Roald Dahl. * Dahl's Chickens... love it!*
51. The Saga of Rex by Michel Gagnon.
52. Esio Trot by Roald Dahl.
53. The Dragon Prophecy by Geronimo Stilton.
54. The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney.
55. Holly's Jolly Christmas by Nancy Krulik.
56. The Christmas Genie by Dan Gutman.
57. Secret Santa: Agent of X.M.A.S. by Guy Bass.
58. The Witches by Roald Dahl.

Phew! That was a bit of work getting set up :-)
See you in January.

Love the pictures!

Great categories, and I look forward to you Science Fiction reviews as it's a genre I haven't read much.

# 30 Thanks, I had a lot of fun finding them :-) My favorite is of the Martians in the water with the 'Thunderchild'.
#31 I am looking forward to this new challenge too. I have really 'sweetened the pot' by choosing these categories.

Good bunch of categories and depending on your selections we may share a few reads next year. Good luck!

Love the pictures and categories.... looking forward to following your reading next year.

Yep love the pictures (especially the military sci-fi one), look forward to your reviews next year.

I love your total indulgence on the scifi/fantasy front. I'm also looking forward to seeing what you read.

Well... I think I have everything the way that I want it, and since I finished my 11 in 11 last August I have been very excited to get started on this one. I was going to make myself wait until the first of January, but I am now on Christmas holidays, and I have worked on my other challenges as much as I can (and I'm bored with them) so since it is past the 12th of December I think I will let myself start a little early. In total I have challenged myself to read up to 222 books so I AM eager to start!

Happy New Year readers! May your tbr pile never diminish!

wait! that wish is too much like the Chinese one....

Hi Karene! I've starred your thread. Great categories. I will definitely check out your blog reviews.

Hi Karene - I was wondering if League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was good. I loved The Watchmen.

Hi Katie, I absolutely loved League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (and even went on a reading tangent afterwards brushing up on books that I hadn't read that were featured in the novel). V for Vendetta is another one that is really good ( I like to watch the movie every 5th of November). I loved the Watchmen too.

I haven't read V, but I liked the movie. Alan Moore is a really thoughtful, and oddly literary writer.

The first two books of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and very good, the rest have a poorer story but more literary riffs. I would also recommend From Hell as well as V for Vendetta

Thanks Claire! I already have League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2 on my wish list and now I will addFrom Hell. I had read that others didn't like the subsequent volumes of the League novels as much as the first one.

>45 kpolhuis: I had read that others didn't like the subsequent volumes of the League novels as much as the first one.

That depends. The first one was a novelty and even if it had a tone of literary allusions, most of them were not obscure. Subsequent volumes dabbed into a lot more obscure works - and the novelty wore off a bit. I like the later volumes a lot - for different reasons than the first one but still...

Thanks! I'm running off to add From Hell to the wishlist. :)

Because I read a lot of e-books on my lap-top I listen to lots of new music at the same time, so usually I associate different music after a while with books I have read them by (naturally, different music just pops into my head when reading actual books as well, so it seems that most of my reading has had it's own 'soundtrack' whether I am plugged in to my lap-top or not. It doesn't always happen, but with certain books there is just particular music that must go with it). Lately I have been listening to a lot of French electronica and house music, and as luck would have it, I found a copy of The Invention of Hugo Cabret hardcover, on sale last weekend. So I have been reading it whilst listening to Le Voyage Dans La Lune by the French electronic band Air (it even has the moon on the album cover which is right from the book). It was such a neat coincidence and each enhanced the other.
I had originally thought of buying Hugo for the school libary collection... but this copy is staying on my bookshelf! I thought it was absolutley lovely and a joy to hold in my hands.

Hugo is a beautiful book, and it sounds like you did find just the right soundtrack!

Just finished watching the 2011 version of Jane Eyre. I haven't seen any of the other versions, and could pretty easily say that this is the best one. I am of a mind to go back to those favorite parts of the movie in the book just like I have done with my Jane Austen books. It's that third dimension that brought tears to my eyes, and I just loved Jane Eyre!

Ray Bradbury, a true magician and a dear, beloved friend. He wrote so powerfully, so evocatively that I could see the yellow stained tennis shoes, the sands of Mars, that creepy ravine, the October country and sense the sinister carnival. I tasted the dry air from the Day it Rained Forever, and felt the velvety waving tall brown grass on The Veldt, I floated in space waiting to fall into the atmosphere (and cried when my fellow astronauts did), I checked all of my books to see if they were still there, safe and sound from firemen, hung out in Venice Beach, and could almost smell the white whale. This loss has hurt me more than I can say, but I am grateful that he wrote so much and so well, and that I can go and visit with him whenever I want by just picking up one of his books. Thanks Ray for over seventy years of wonderful. You WILL live forever!

Nice words!

Thanks Mamzel!

Yes - great tribute.

Thanks Katie!

I just finished Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin this morning. This parody targets all of the devastating flaws in the Fifty Shades Trilogy with a sharp, intelligent and grammactically correct wit, and I appreciated this vindification of my feelings toward what I consider to be a serious mistake in publishing. Let's hope that the Fifty Shades phenomenon fades away soon! And read this book as it WILL help you feel better about the original.

Haven't read Fifty Shades, won't read Fifty Shades but it's actually making me feel a bit respectful/nostalgic toward Bridges of Madison County.

I've never read Bridges myself... I didn't even manage to get through the movie. Is it worth a read?

No! A loud and resounding no! But at least it was a competently (but not well) written sweet, adulterous romance.

Apart from the TIOLI challenges I have well and truly completed my reading challenges for the year! I read twenty books by Isaac Asimov (as well as a few inspired by his future history), and managed to really indulge myself with my favorite genre. My total book count of course, will not be counted up until the end of the year but I have definitely exceeded my expectations. I think I might just take it easy now until I'm comfortable starting the new reading challenge (maybe December 13th?) and just schlump around and read some trashy fan fiction or whatever... and seeing what everyone else has been up to. I have to say, it was a challenge for me to pace myself... last year I just whipped right through the challenge and finished really early, and found that all the fun had been taken out of it. So I decided to pace myself instead of racing ahead and made time for other things like reading trashy fan fiction, and doing some writing of my own (not trashy fan fiction!). I am going to try really hard not to think about the 2013 challenge for the next three weeks!

Congratulations!

Thanks!

Congrats!

Congratulations!

Congrats!

Congrats!

Congrats!!!

Woo hoo and well done!