State of the Month - March 2010

Let's see here...What did I do here on So Many Books, So Little Time? Well...

I've joined my first Challenge that didn't originate from that part of my brain that forgets that I already have a million things to do. But I guess that's the point of this blog, isn't it? This Challenge is to finish unfinished series in your library. As with most things, I'll probably put it off until the end of November or the middle of December and then try to cram all eleven books on my list before New Year's.

I started finishing Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series. Too bad I didn't add that one to my Challenge list. The two I have left both arrived this week - Kiss of the Highlander and The Highlander's Touch. After Dageus's book, The Dark Highlander, I figured I would just blow off his twin Drustan's book but now I want to read it. Maybe Adam's in it? That would definitely be worth my time.

I've begun to dress up this blog a little more with the widgets and pictures in the sidebar. I love those Sprout widgets but they're a hard to find and if I do happen to trip over one somewhere, it's out-of-date. What's also annoying is that now that I've found a template I can live with, Blogger has added new template possibilities. Grrr.

I caught up with my LibraryThing obligations. Technically, I still owe them a review for Truly, Madly by Heather Webber since they sent it to me even though I had already won another book for that month. I might still do one if I can remember enough details of the book. I do know I liked it. I wish I had liked Dead Pan by Gayle Trent as much.

I met Kelly Meding! Kelly, if you read this, know that I might look you up in the summer when As Lie the Dead comes out. Remember, I know where you work :) Also, the vets at Berlin Animal Hospital totally rock. They saved our kitty too.

I now have Carolyn Crane's Mind Games on my bookshelf, calling my name. I love supporting new writers and after reading about Rob Thurman's tirades involving book sales and release dates, I figured that if she's right and amazon sales don't work in the writer's best interests I would hie myself over to the local B&N and do my part. I just realized that I've been doing that for the new Deanna Raybourn books I buy. Yay me!

I caught up with Jessica Andersen's Mayan Doomsday series just in time for book four, Demonkeepers, to come out on Tuesday. Anybody looking for a fantastic pararom series that will suck you in, start with Nightkeepers. I will be amazed if you are a big fan of this genre and don't like it.

Now for the negative stuff: I tried to win a nook from Book Binge. Nope. I read a disturbing (and not in a good way) YA book about zombies. So disappointed. I had several books in March that got grades of C or lower and that's unusual for me. I'm pretty forgiving. One of those C books was an Amanda Quick novel, Deception. I did not like Olympia, the heroine. Her interaction with Jared left me shaking my head throughout most of the book. She was clueless and naive, forgave Jared for pretty much anything he did or said (he lied a lot), and was book-smart but lacking common sense. I have been working my way through Krentz's Quick novels since I like her historical romances more than her contemporary ones and Deception was a major misstep.

Here's what I hope to do in April:

1. Catch up with Harry Dresden. Amazingly, I have not read Turn Coat. You know, the Harry Dresden that came out a YEAR ago? Well, I am dying to find out what happens in Changes so I better get on it.
2. Read The Reckoning and Radiant Shadows (and the short stories I just downloaded). I have been devouring the preview chapters from The Reckoning that have been released. I have also been recently psyched up for Radiant Shadows :)
3. Read Jenny Crusie and Bob Mayer's Wild Ride. Follow with lengthy post about Crusie's books and the wonderfulness thereof.
4. Consider the possibility of continuing with my lame fascinating reviews of Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series. Can you tell that I'm not excited about doing them? Maybe just one more that lumps them all together. Maybe do Shadowlight separately? Hmm.
5. I'm not going to impose any challenges on myself this month. I read plenty in March. As it is, I've had Angelology by Danielle Trussoni for two days already and have only managed to start the first page.
6. Work on the flower beds in my yard. Right now they look as if nobody has lived here for two years. So much for reading tomorrow :)
7. Get some sleep. Night!