Eileen's Summer Reading List

I will add to this as I obtain new books to read and, at the end of the summer, anything not read and reviewed will be archived for me to review at a later date (probably on weekends once fall semester starts). I mentioned some of these in my 'Coming Attractions' post you'll remember and I really do look forward to reviewing all of these wonderful books. I'll strike through the title and author once the book has been read and reviewed so as to avoid confusion

1. Tesla: Man out of Time - Margaret Cheney
2. Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie
3. Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City - Kirsten Miller
4. The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory
5. Gallows Thief - Bernard Cornwell
6. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
7. Persuasion - Jane Austen
8. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
9. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
10. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
11. Emma - Jane Austen
12. The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith
13. The Silkworm - Robert Galbraith (I found a copy the grocery store for, like, 40% off the Canadian cover price so I sprung for it SO EXCITED!!!)
14. Divergent - Veronica Roth
15. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
16. Allegiant - Veronica Roth
17. Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier
18. French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour de France - Tim Moore
19. The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
20. The Adventure of the Speckled Band - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
21. An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
22. Never Somewhere Else - Alex Gray
23. The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
24. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald #
25. Let it Snow - John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
26. This Dark Endeavour - Kenneth Oppel
27. (Such Wicked Intent - Kenneth Oppel)
28. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
29. A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness
30. Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness (already reviewed, but I'll update it)
31. The Book of Life - Deborah Harkness (IT'S FINALLY OUT!! I don't have it yet but will buy it soon)
32. ((Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Seth Grahame-Smith, Jane Austen))
33. Love me Back - Merrit Tierce
34. Let's Just Say it Wasn't Pretty - Diane Keaton
35. The Forever Girl - Alexander McCall-Smith
36. The Ladies Number One Detective Agency - Alexander McCall-Smith
37. (Hollow City - Ransom Riggs)
38. The Glory Wind - Valerie Sherrard*
39. If only you Knew - Mags Storey*
40. Plain Kate - Erin Bow*
41. City of Heavenly Fire - Cassandra Clare
42. The Diviners - Libba Bray*
43. Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green
44. Who-ology: Doctor Who, the Official Miscellany - Cavan Scott & Mark Wright
45. Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld*
46. Stardust - Neil Gaiman :D
47. Looking for Alaska - John Green #
48. Geek Girls Unite - Leslie Simon
49. Page Fright - Harry Bruce
50. Tequila Mockingbird - Tim Federle
51. The Birth House - Ami McKay
52. Lights Out in Wonderland - DBC Pierre
53. An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's homes in New England - Brock Clarke
54. Dark Triumph - Robin LaFevers
55. Revenge of the Vinyl Café - Stuart McLean
56. Secrets from the Vinyl Café - Stuart McLean
57. Vinyl Café Diaries - Stuart McLean
58. Alex Cross - James Patterson
59. Extreme Vinyl Café - Stuart McLean
60. 44 Scotland Street - Alexander McCall Smith
61. The Vinyl Café Notebooks - Stuart McLean
62. The 'Make Good Art Speech' - Neil Gaiman
63. Dave Cooks the Turkey - Stuart McLean
64. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain
65. ((The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling))
66. The Jane Austen Book Club - Karen Joy Fowler
67. Northanger Abbey - Val McDermid
68. Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlaine Harris
69. Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris
70. Watership Down - Richard Adams
71. Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
72. Bridget Jones Diary - Helen Fielding
73. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason - Helen Fielding
74. A Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula Le Guin*
75. Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor
76. Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman
77. The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula Le Guin
78. Brave New World - Alduous Huxley
79. Carrie - Stephen King
80. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores - Jen Campbell
81. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

As you can see it's an ever expanding Behemoth of a thing with a whopping total of 81 books to read in the next 5 months (I think I can do it, even if I do the July session of Camp NaNo).

*The ones with an asterisk next to their names are the ones that have been recommended to me by someone

() The ones in single brackets I have to find either in a bookstore or a library 1

(()) The ones in doubles brackets I own, I just have to find them (or get them from the library if I can't find them)2
# The ones with Number signs next to them are also on my Banned Books Week list so as I review for that they will be crossed of the list

As I mentioned this list will be comprehensively updated with everything that I intend to review. Keep reading, writing and for heaven's sake recommend a book, I don't bite I promise :)

1 Apparently I can do footnote-y type things...I will delete the brackets once I have either bought or rented this book
2 I will  underline these titles once I find my copy (or get one from the library)

New books!

Hello again readers!!!

As I mentioned in my last post I have some time off this spring and summer during which I will be (among other things) reading and reviewing. I mentioned that I have a stack of books to read this summer and I'm pleased to report, after a successful trip to my local bookstore, (It's their 30th birthday/anniversary and they were having a sale, I couldn't resist! (aside from the 30th anniversary/birthday sale it's a great book store in general)) I now own 4 new books which I can review, in honour of the 30th anniversary thing they had, like, gift bags with books in them and I pick up one that had 3! 3! I also bought The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (in soft cover if you must know, I hadn't really seen it in softcover before today to be honest) and I've already started reading it! It's really good so far, I'm only 5 chapters in or so, so I won't be reviewing in depth just yet, just thought I'd let you know. One of the other I got (in the prize bag) was by the author of The Ladies Number One Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith (for the life of me I can't remember what it's called right now).

As always book suggestions are always welcome in comments or via twitter (or via Tumblr at my book blog! (http://thelibrarian-bloggerin221c.tumblr.com this Tumblr is more for interesting book things and bookstores etc. but I may occasionally post a review, this will be my main book review blog however) (my other blog (http://theartisticnovelist.tumbr.com) is more for my art stuff and novel updates rather than book reviews.)

Stay tunes for a comprehensive list of up and coming reviews (possibly in some semblance of an order I haven't decided). This list will be updated every time I find something new that I want to review and, as I mentioned, suggestions are always welcome. My summer reading series will go from about now (starting Monday (May 12)) and will go until the fall semester starts (Around Labour Day in September) and I will update as often as possible. I look forward to your feedback on books to read and review and stay tuned for summer reading list!

By the Pricking of my Thumbs by Agatha Christie

Hello again,

As I mentioned in "Coming Attractions" I recently finished reading "By the Pricking of my Thumbs" by Agatha Christie. It follows Mrs. Tuppence Beresford and her husband through the solving of an ages old mystery. But when Thomas (Tuppence's husband) is away on important government business and Tuppence is left to investigate on her own she digs too deep and ends up in trouble. Will she get out of it?

This book is a wonderful book, from start to finish it has you wondering what will happen next and how Tuppence will get out of the situations she finds herself in. Mopre imprtantly it leaves you wanting more. Not just from Tuppence and Thomas but from Christie herself.

It all starts after Thomas' Aunt Ada dies and Tuppence goes on a quest to return a painting she had to its original owner. From there it's a roller coaster of travel and mystery for Tuppence, who gets into a heap of troouble but bothing she can't deal with. If you like the mystery Genre or classic novels you'll want to read thuis book, especially if you're a fan of Agatha Christie. I found it riveting  and engaging the whole way through (Well, there was one chapter where she switched focus from Tuppence to Thomas and it was a little confusing but when she went back to Tuppence it all made sense). I highly reccomend that you read this book.

Sorry to cut the review short today but there's really not much to say. As always your feedback and book suggestions are welcome in the comments below and I will try my level best to review everything that you suggest (that'll be easier now that I'm off for the summer and I don't have classes). So please suggest books for me to read, or movies for me to watch, I'm open to doing some movie reviews as well (You'll recall that in "Coming Attractions", my last post, I mentioned that I was going to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier and was going to do a review).

That's all for me today folks, as always your feedback is very welcome and any and all book suggestions will be read and reviewed in due time (I have to FIND the book and reasd it before I can review it, most of the time it's finding it that's the trouble.) I hate to cut this one short but my German exam beckons. In the mean time keep reading, writing and yes, watching movies.

TTFN!

Coming Attractions

Well I fell off the blogging bandwagon again but life. So, as I said, Coming Attractions.

I'm going to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Divergent soon (I will see them. I'm so looking forward to it) Don't know when yet, because there ARE NO MATINEES AT THE THEATRE NEAR MY HOUSE, the earliest time is 4 in the afternoon! (Maybe over Easter weekend...although I do have an exam on Monday evening) anyway, I digress.

I went shopping with my friend Sara yesterday and I bought some books to add to my summer reading list!!!I got a biography of Nikola Tesla (Sara's and my favourite inventor), the first book in the "This Dark Endeavour" series (I know, I know, it came out, like, 3 years ago but I've never read it) and a book that I'd been looking for forever "Let it Snow" by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson so I'm looking forward to reading that (actually I did start that one already it's really good, but I'm only a couple of chapters in.) I'm going to read the Divergent series again because I want to finally read "Allegiant" and I want a bit of a refresher (maybe I'll just read "Allegiant"). I'm going to read "Pride and Prejudice" (or finish it at any rate) and maybe I'll work my way through my Jane Austen box set and finally get to "Murder on the Orient Express." I'm going to work my way through "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (again) and finally read "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." and I'll possibly read "A Discovery of Witches" and "Shadow of Night" again but won't be writing a new review for "Shadow of Night", just updating it. I'll certainly read anything you suggest to me (comment people for goodness sake! It's like I'm talking to myself!)

My next review will be of a book I recently finished actually "By the Pricking of my Thumbs" by Agatha Christie (if I've reviewed it already (I don't think I have but I'll check) I'll just update the review instead of writing another one.) Thus is a brief picture of the next few months of book reviews. Please do suggest books in the comments and don't forget to tell me what you thought of the books I've suggested if you have read/do read them.

That's all for now I think, happy spring! Keep reading and writing (oh, and please I know it's a bit far down on my blog, one of my first posts I think, but please,  read the excerpt of my Mystery Novel and tell me what you think.

Well

Well, I kind of fell off the bandwagon with the whole banned Books week thing but in my defense, University gets busy sometimes. Like now, it's almost the end of term so I might not be posting as often as I'd like. It is only 3 weeks (3 weeks yesterday I think) until the end of term and that means...oh joy! exams are coming up. (Ech) exams start in April and my only 2 are (to my knowledge) at the end of April, within 2 days of each other. Just wanted to let you know that I might not be on for a while (not much changed there). As always you are welcome to suggest books for me to review (I might actually get to it this summer.)

I know during banned books week I kind of fell off the bandwagon, sorry about that. I have been remiss and I apologize. On a happier note, I (think) I have finished my mystery novel at long last. However the details have been nagging at me and, as I read back through there are so many plot holes my novel could be Swiss cheese! I'm sure many writers have this problem when writing a first draft but, that's what editing is for! I will make an effort to keep up my blog on a regular basis as opposed to this nonsense I've got going but, especially when September comes, I make no promises. The way things are going, once it's edited, I may self-publish my novel, my university book store has an espresso book machine and I may take a crack at that. Also, I found a book (it's absolutely huge but it's useful I think "The Canadian Writer's Guide (13th edition) Other than that nothing much has changed, I WILL  make an effort to update more I promise.

Until then keep writing and reading!!!!
(I'll do a book review next I promise)

Banned Books Week #1 (February 23-March 1) Review #3 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

OK, this will be today's (Monday's) first official review for Banned Books Week, I have decided that, as there are 7 Harry Potter books, in addition to reviewing another banned/challenged book I will review 1 Harry Potter book every day, so, logically, today's would be the 2nd one.

OK, so, as I mentioned previously the series was banned on the grounds of "Occult and Satanism". The second book in the series is about the same length (maybe a bit longer) than the first book. In this book we are introduced to house-elves, some of the remaining members of the Weasley Clan and a brand new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (They say the job is jinxed, ever since Dumbledore refused the job to Lord Voldemort no teacher has lasted more than a year). Well after a mishap at Platform 9 3/4 and an incident with a flying car and a vicious tree, when Harry and Ron are almost expelled but when an ancient monster lurking in the depths of the school starts petrifying muggle-borns, will Harry, Ron and Hermione be able to find out who's doing this before someone gets killed? And who is the mysterious heir of Slytherin?

This book is an amazing read, even better than the last, it's wonderful and brilliant and especially if you've read and enjoyed the first one I would absolutely read the second one. (I'd read the whole series really). Another riveting tale of bravery and friendship (with an idiot defense against the Dark Arts teacher who's a bit full of himself to top it all off)

Until next time happy reading and happy writing! :)

Banned Books Week #1 (February 23-March1) Review #2 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

OK, this is my second post today, and in keeping with the Banned Books week theme another book from the list. This one is a home-spun classic through and through. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

This book was in the Top 10 on the banned books list of 2009. The grounds they had for banning/challenging it were "Offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group" and I'll address these challenges one by one throughout the review.

To Kill a Mockingbird is not about birds, it's about life in small town Alabama during the Great Depression. Atticus Finch, the father of our narrator Jean-Louise (Scout) Finch is a great lawyer and he gets conscripted to defend an African-American man accused of Raping a white girl. Of course, due to the great deal of racial prejudice at them time in Alabama, it seemed like a losing case from the start. It also chronicles Scout and her brother Jeremy (Jem) Finch going through school while Atticus is trying to handle the case and neither of them can really understand the racial prejudices at the time, people are people. There are some racial slurs and offensive language because that was what was used in that time. Over the course of the book they befriend several people in their small neighborhood and meet a couple of new people.

I would absolutely tell people to read this book, no question. It's a powerful novel and a bit heavy on the messages but it really is so good. Harper Lee manages to write prose in such a way that it comes to life. This is a tried and true classic and yes, it's true, there are some age groups that it's not suited for, it's more of a book for teenagers, and young adults but it definitely depends on the age group. Go on, read this book, you won't be disappointed.