Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Finished!!! My first official book for my Reading In Order Challenge. If you recall, I tried to read Yevgeny Zamyatin's We a while back, and somehow I managed to lose it. I'm sure it'll show up one day, but for now it's probably under the bed or buried in my car. I decided to move on to the next author in my pile: Jane Yolen.

Briar Rose is part of Terri Windling's larger fairy tale series, and Yolen's offering may be the most recognizable of those novels by various authors. I like this book overall because it's a new interpretation of "Sleeping Beauty" that I've never read before. Never have I seen any fairy tale retellings that situate the characters amidst the Holocaust, but if you happen to have read others, please let me know!

We'll start with the good stuff:

• An interesting new take on an old tale.
• Yolen seems to have done a great deal of research into a little known, or little talked about, extermination camp in Chelmno.
• Her main character, Becca, was likeable if a little "goody goody" for my taste.

The not-so-good stuff:

• This book seemed very dated. While it's a very universal story, I thought Yolen could've handled some bits much better.
• This book suffers from a case of weird marketing. I've always seen it marketed at young adults, but it reads very much like a novel for adults.
• While it was an emotional story, I didn't think the emotion came across in the writing so well. It seemed dull at times when it should've shined.

I wish I could say more about this one, but I took entirely too long reading it. I set it aside, picked it back up, set it aside some more, and finally took the time to finish it over the last couple of days. While it was a worthwhile read, and I would say it was good, it didn't blow my socks off. I know I'm probably in the minority in not absolutely loving it, but alas, sometimes that's the case.

The next book in my Reading in Order stack is Richard Wright's Native Son. It's a big one, so it might take me a while, but I've wanted to read it for years, so we'll see how it goes!

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Finished!!! My first official book for my Reading In Order Challenge. If you recall, I tried to read Yevgeny Zamyatin's We a while back, and somehow I managed to lose it. I'm sure it'll show up one day, but for now it's probably under the bed or buried in my car. I decided to move on to the next author in my pile: Jane Yolen.

Briar Rose is part of Terri Windling's larger fairy tale series, and Yolen's offering may be the most recognizable of those novels by various authors. I like this book overall because it's a new interpretation of "Sleeping Beauty" that I've never read before. Never have I seen any fairy tale retellings that situate the characters amidst the Holocaust, but if you happen to have read others, please let me know!

We'll start with the good stuff:

• An interesting new take on an old tale.
• Yolen seems to have done a great deal of research into a little known, or little talked about, extermination camp in Chelmno.
• Her main character, Becca, was likeable if a little "goody goody" for my taste.

The not-so-good stuff:

• This book seemed very dated. While it's a very universal story, I thought Yolen could've handled some bits much better.
• This book suffers from a case of weird marketing. I've always seen it marketed at young adults, but it reads very much like a novel for adults.
• While it was an emotional story, I didn't think the emotion came across in the writing so well. It seemed dull at times when it should've shined.

I wish I could say more about this one, but I took entirely too long reading it. I set it aside, picked it back up, set it aside some more, and finally took the time to finish it over the last couple of days. While it was a worthwhile read, and I would say it was good, it didn't blow my socks off. I know I'm probably in the minority in not absolutely loving it, but alas, sometimes that's the case.

The next book in my Reading in Order stack is Richard Wright's Native Son. It's a big one, so it might take me a while, but I've wanted to read it for years, so we'll see how it goes!

The Sunday Salon - Slump, Busted!

Hot damn! I knew it had to happen sometime, and I was right! You got it, my lovelies...I'm reading again! In the spirit of my Reading in Order Challenge, I picked up the next book on the TBR and zipped through 50 pages immediately. Briar Rose, by Jane Yolen, is just as good as you all said it would be. This is my first time sampling Yolen's work, and now I'm really sad that I didn't see her speak at Texas A&M University - Commerce (my alma mater) this past semester. I suspect she would've been fascinating to listen to. But back to Briar Rose...

If you've been under a rock--as I've been--here's an Andi blurb for ya:

Becca is one of three granddaughters to Gemma. Gemma spent her lifetime telling stories to her granddaughters...mainly the tale of Briar Rose. Before her death, Gemma makes Becca promise to investigate her story as she insists that she is Briar Rose. What follows is a lot of investigative work on Becca's part, and I know this all leads to Gemma's experiences during the Holocaust, but I haven't read far enough yet to know exactly how that transition happens or how Becca will stumble upon the truth of Gemma's mysterious past.

I know this one is considered young adult fiction, though I consistently find myself surprised by Yolen's authorial choices in this regard. Becca is a grown woman...no angsty teenage narrators here. This is one of those novels that rides the fine line between teen and adult fiction. The only thing that seems particularly "teeny" about it is the cover. I'm very much enjoying Yolen's take on the "Briar Rose" tale since you all know what a fairy tale whore I am. Yeah, I said fairy tale whore. It's true...why hide or sugar coat it, right? Ha!

I'm also reading a SECOND BOOK! No one is more shocked than I am, I assure you. I'm a lazy one, and I left my copy of Briar Rose in Pandora the Prius last night when we got done running around and doing Fourth of July things. I didn't feel like venturing out into the rain sprinkles in my pj's this morning, so I picked up the nearest book (toootally not in order for Reading In Order Challenge): Saving Fish From Drowning, by Amy Tan.

I freely admit that I'm probably the only person on earth to have not read ANY Amy Tan. My friend Beth assures me that I will fall over and worship at Tan's feet if I read The Joy Luck Club. After just a few pages of Saving Fish From Drowning, I am quite sure that Tan will be a new fave, and I can't wait to get to my copy of The Joy Luck Club on my stacks. An Andi-blurb about Saving Fish:

Bibi Chen narrates the book after her death. She's an art patron and generous benefactor to numerous Asian organizations during her lifetime. She arranges a trip down the famed Burma Road for eleven of her friends, but she mysteriously expires before the trip can take place. On a hazy Christmas morning her friends take off on a boat tour and never return.

I just have to say, Tan's "voice" for Bibi Chen is freakin' fantastic. I can totally picture her as a little fireball of a woman...outspoken and excitable. I'm not very far into the novel yet, but the premise is fantastic, and I'm totally hooked on Bibi as the narrator of her friends' trip and her own life. There's also a really interesting author's note in the beginning of the book wherein Tan describes a chance trip to a psychic research center and archives in an attempt to escape a New York City downpour. She happened upon the premise for the book after reading some supposed "channeled writings" from the real life Bibi Chen.

If you need a pick-me-up book, either of these should do the trick. They sure have for me. In fact, I think I'm going to finish tallying midterm grade reports right now and head back downstairs to my cozy bed and curl up with one of these books.

Have a great night, everyone! I hope all you American readers had a fantastic Fourth of July! I'll be posting fireworks pics soon!

The Sunday Salon - Slump, Busted!

Hot damn! I knew it had to happen sometime, and I was right! You got it, my lovelies...I'm reading again! In the spirit of my Reading in Order Challenge, I picked up the next book on the TBR and zipped through 50 pages immediately. Briar Rose, by Jane Yolen, is just as good as you all said it would be. This is my first time sampling Yolen's work, and now I'm really sad that I didn't see her speak at Texas A&M University - Commerce (my alma mater) this past semester. I suspect she would've been fascinating to listen to. But back to Briar Rose...

If you've been under a rock--as I've been--here's an Andi blurb for ya:

Becca is one of three granddaughters to Gemma. Gemma spent her lifetime telling stories to her granddaughters...mainly the tale of Briar Rose. Before her death, Gemma makes Becca promise to investigate her story as she insists that she is Briar Rose. What follows is a lot of investigative work on Becca's part, and I know this all leads to Gemma's experiences during the Holocaust, but I haven't read far enough yet to know exactly how that transition happens or how Becca will stumble upon the truth of Gemma's mysterious past.

I know this one is considered young adult fiction, though I consistently find myself surprised by Yolen's authorial choices in this regard. Becca is a grown woman...no angsty teenage narrators here. This is one of those novels that rides the fine line between teen and adult fiction. The only thing that seems particularly "teeny" about it is the cover. I'm very much enjoying Yolen's take on the "Briar Rose" tale since you all know what a fairy tale whore I am. Yeah, I said fairy tale whore. It's true...why hide or sugar coat it, right? Ha!

I'm also reading a SECOND BOOK! No one is more shocked than I am, I assure you. I'm a lazy one, and I left my copy of Briar Rose in Pandora the Prius last night when we got done running around and doing Fourth of July things. I didn't feel like venturing out into the rain sprinkles in my pj's this morning, so I picked up the nearest book (toootally not in order for Reading In Order Challenge): Saving Fish From Drowning, by Amy Tan.

I freely admit that I'm probably the only person on earth to have not read ANY Amy Tan. My friend Beth assures me that I will fall over and worship at Tan's feet if I read The Joy Luck Club. After just a few pages of Saving Fish From Drowning, I am quite sure that Tan will be a new fave, and I can't wait to get to my copy of The Joy Luck Club on my stacks. An Andi-blurb about Saving Fish:

Bibi Chen narrates the book after her death. She's an art patron and generous benefactor to numerous Asian organizations during her lifetime. She arranges a trip down the famed Burma Road for eleven of her friends, but she mysteriously expires before the trip can take place. On a hazy Christmas morning her friends take off on a boat tour and never return.

I just have to say, Tan's "voice" for Bibi Chen is freakin' fantastic. I can totally picture her as a little fireball of a woman...outspoken and excitable. I'm not very far into the novel yet, but the premise is fantastic, and I'm totally hooked on Bibi as the narrator of her friends' trip and her own life. There's also a really interesting author's note in the beginning of the book wherein Tan describes a chance trip to a psychic research center and archives in an attempt to escape a New York City downpour. She happened upon the premise for the book after reading some supposed "channeled writings" from the real life Bibi Chen.

If you need a pick-me-up book, either of these should do the trick. They sure have for me. In fact, I think I'm going to finish tallying midterm grade reports right now and head back downstairs to my cozy bed and curl up with one of these books.

Have a great night, everyone! I hope all you American readers had a fantastic Fourth of July! I'll be posting fireworks pics soon!

Second Chance Time?

I'm always torn when it comes to giving a not-so-favorite author a second shot at my bookish heart. I am perhaps the only person who read and loathed Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott. Much like the time I read and hated The Lovely Bones when everyone else seemed to adore it. But back to my point. In short, I thought Living Dead Girl was sensational, ooky, and depended too much on the shock factor instead of focusing on quality, nuance, etc. etc. All those flippy, fluffy lit words that can't really express what I want to say. If I'm putting it bluntly, I just think she could've done SO MUCH BETTER with that book, but if you're interested you can read my bloodbath of a review here.

I received a couple of Scott's other novels, Stealing Heaven and Love You Hate You Miss You, last week, and now I'm torn about whether to give them a go or not. Despite my dislike of Living Dead Girl, I realize Scott is a talented one. Her book was affecting even if I thought it was overrated and gross. I mean, really, there has to be *something* there if it illicited such a reaction. I'm woman enough to admit it.

Neither of these new-to-me novels looks terribly shocking or controversial, and as I've said here before, I'm not anti-controversy. I love controversy, in fact. So, yeah. Depending on too much shock is not good, but neither is blandness. They might be the opposite of gross and be bland! Dear God, the HORROR!

Or maybe I'm worrying too much and should jump in headfirst and report back.

Yes, yes. That's it.

Reading Update: I stalled on my copy of We when we overhauled our office space recently. Now I've misplaced the damn thing. Wish me luck finding it. In the meantime I've started Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Angel's Game for my next Reading in Order book. We'll see how it shakes out!

Second Chance Time?

I'm always torn when it comes to giving a not-so-favorite author a second shot at my bookish heart. I am perhaps the only person who read and loathed Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott. Much like the time I read and hated The Lovely Bones when everyone else seemed to adore it. But back to my point. In short, I thought Living Dead Girl was sensational, ooky, and depended too much on the shock factor instead of focusing on quality, nuance, etc. etc. All those flippy, fluffy lit words that can't really express what I want to say. If I'm putting it bluntly, I just think she could've done SO MUCH BETTER with that book, but if you're interested you can read my bloodbath of a review here.

I received a couple of Scott's other novels, Stealing Heaven and Love You Hate You Miss You, last week, and now I'm torn about whether to give them a go or not. Despite my dislike of Living Dead Girl, I realize Scott is a talented one. Her book was affecting even if I thought it was overrated and gross. I mean, really, there has to be *something* there if it illicited such a reaction. I'm woman enough to admit it.

Neither of these new-to-me novels looks terribly shocking or controversial, and as I've said here before, I'm not anti-controversy. I love controversy, in fact. So, yeah. Depending on too much shock is not good, but neither is blandness. They might be the opposite of gross and be bland! Dear God, the HORROR!

Or maybe I'm worrying too much and should jump in headfirst and report back.

Yes, yes. That's it.

Reading Update: I stalled on my copy of We when we overhauled our office space recently. Now I've misplaced the damn thing. Wish me luck finding it. In the meantime I've started Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Angel's Game for my next Reading in Order book. We'll see how it shakes out!

We is a Winner

So far, so good! My first book of the Reading in Order Challenge is going swimmingly. It's not surprising that We is right up my alley since I've been in love with dystopian fiction for a very long time.

To give you a little background: I became interested in dystopian fiction as a high school student. I read Ray Bradbury's short story, "August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains" when I was a sophomore--about 15 years old. It's a tale about the Earth reclaiming a family's automated home after nuclear war. If you'd like to read the story yourself, click HERE. It's a nice, easy-to-read PDF. It's a selection from The Martian Chronicles, by the way.

I wasn't reading much in those high school days--occupied by extracurricular activities, boys (those are one and the same), the usual teenager stuff. However, Bradbury interested me enough with this horribly beautiful creation that I wanted more dystopia. Though, thinking about it now, "There Will Come Soft Rains" is more post-apocalyptic fiction. Oh well...whatever. It whetted my appetite for more! With the help of a great English teacher and a lifelong friend, I discovered Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

I think what fascinated me then--and still fascinates me now--about dystopian fiction is the way it takes elements and problems of our past, or elements and problems from our contemporary world, and blows them up to such outlandish proportions so as to make us ponder where we're headed.

We was written in 1921 and is considered the first dystopian novel. I can definitely see shades of it in Huxley's and Bradbury's work, and I haven't read Orwell yet (for shame!), but I will definitely pick up 1984 during the course of this challenge. Zamyatin imagines the society in his novel to be completely based on math--concerned that life be one beautiful, infallible equation. Like Brave New World each person is open to have sex with any other--just need a pink ticket and you can close the blinds with anyone. We's main character, D-503, meets a strange woman who wishes to test the boundaries of the OneState rules. She drinks alcohol, smokes cigarettes, and wears savage clothing...yellow dresses and stockings...in private. All of her daring feats are punishable by death, and death consists of being reduced to water by a scary leader called the Benefactor. What's more, she makes D-503 think he's losing his mind. He starts feeling things he's never felt before like jealousy and having vivid dreams. For shame!

I won't reveal any more of the plot right now, but it's really a great book so far, and I'm really enjoying the translation...something I was concerned about in my previous post. If you're a dystopian fiction fan--or not--go ahead and snatch this one up!

We is a Winner

So far, so good! My first book of the Reading in Order Challenge is going swimmingly. It's not surprising that We is right up my alley since I've been in love with dystopian fiction for a very long time.

To give you a little background: I became interested in dystopian fiction as a high school student. I read Ray Bradbury's short story, "August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains" when I was a sophomore--about 15 years old. It's a tale about the Earth reclaiming a family's automated home after nuclear war. If you'd like to read the story yourself, click HERE. It's a nice, easy-to-read PDF. It's a selection from The Martian Chronicles, by the way.

I wasn't reading much in those high school days--occupied by extracurricular activities, boys (those are one and the same), the usual teenager stuff. However, Bradbury interested me enough with this horribly beautiful creation that I wanted more dystopia. Though, thinking about it now, "There Will Come Soft Rains" is more post-apocalyptic fiction. Oh well...whatever. It whetted my appetite for more! With the help of a great English teacher and a lifelong friend, I discovered Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

I think what fascinated me then--and still fascinates me now--about dystopian fiction is the way it takes elements and problems of our past, or elements and problems from our contemporary world, and blows them up to such outlandish proportions so as to make us ponder where we're headed.

We was written in 1921 and is considered the first dystopian novel. I can definitely see shades of it in Huxley's and Bradbury's work, and I haven't read Orwell yet (for shame!), but I will definitely pick up 1984 during the course of this challenge. Zamyatin imagines the society in his novel to be completely based on math--concerned that life be one beautiful, infallible equation. Like Brave New World each person is open to have sex with any other--just need a pink ticket and you can close the blinds with anyone. We's main character, D-503, meets a strange woman who wishes to test the boundaries of the OneState rules. She drinks alcohol, smokes cigarettes, and wears savage clothing...yellow dresses and stockings...in private. All of her daring feats are punishable by death, and death consists of being reduced to water by a scary leader called the Benefactor. What's more, she makes D-503 think he's losing his mind. He starts feeling things he's never felt before like jealousy and having vivid dreams. For shame!

I won't reveal any more of the plot right now, but it's really a great book so far, and I'm really enjoying the translation...something I was concerned about in my previous post. If you're a dystopian fiction fan--or not--go ahead and snatch this one up!

The Sunday Salon - On Finishing One and Starting Another

Another book finished! It looks as if my slump may be breaking up. It's about damn time.

I finished up Suzanne Collins's fantabulowondermous novel, The Hunger Games, and you can read my full review of it tomorrow at Bibliobuffet. It really was the most gripping novel I've read in a long time. I cared about the characters right off the bat, and while it reminded me of some stories I've read before (M.T. Anderson's novel, Feed, and Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery") it was still fresh and innovative in its own way and just freakin' fantastic. Eloquent way for me to put it, eh? But soooo true.

Now I'm on to my very first read of the Reading In Order Challenge. I thought I'd begin with Jane Yolen's Briar Rose, but upon further inspection of the far, dark corners of my TBR, I discovered that Yevgeny Zamyatin's We was hiding. Maybe it's a happy accident since it's a dystopian novel written in the 1920s and I just finished The Hunger Games, which was very much a dystopian novel. I've only read a few pages, but it seems interesting enough. I often have issues enjoying Russian novelists' work, so we'll see how this goes. I'm not sure if I've gotten hold of really bad translations in the past or what, but they usually seem to stilted and unpoetic. Maybe this translation will change my mind.

So that's my Sunday in a nutshell. For now I'm off to design some bookplates and bookmarks for my new, up-and-coming Etsy store. Keep an eye out for the annoucement that it's open!

The Sunday Salon - On Finishing One and Starting Another

Another book finished! It looks as if my slump may be breaking up. It's about damn time.

I finished up Suzanne Collins's fantabulowondermous novel, The Hunger Games, and you can read my full review of it tomorrow at Bibliobuffet. It really was the most gripping novel I've read in a long time. I cared about the characters right off the bat, and while it reminded me of some stories I've read before (M.T. Anderson's novel, Feed, and Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery") it was still fresh and innovative in its own way and just freakin' fantastic. Eloquent way for me to put it, eh? But soooo true.

Now I'm on to my very first read of the Reading In Order Challenge. I thought I'd begin with Jane Yolen's Briar Rose, but upon further inspection of the far, dark corners of my TBR, I discovered that Yevgeny Zamyatin's We was hiding. Maybe it's a happy accident since it's a dystopian novel written in the 1920s and I just finished The Hunger Games, which was very much a dystopian novel. I've only read a few pages, but it seems interesting enough. I often have issues enjoying Russian novelists' work, so we'll see how this goes. I'm not sure if I've gotten hold of really bad translations in the past or what, but they usually seem to stilted and unpoetic. Maybe this translation will change my mind.

So that's my Sunday in a nutshell. For now I'm off to design some bookplates and bookmarks for my new, up-and-coming Etsy store. Keep an eye out for the annoucement that it's open!

Reading In Order Challenge

Here it is! The official announcement of the Reading in Order Challenge. A few of you expressed interest in joining me when I mentioned this challenge before, so I threw together a button and we're off and running! Here's the poop on the challenge:

Goal: To read through one's stacks (a bookcase, several bookcases, the entire "to be read" pile, etc.) alphabetically.

The rules: Read alphabetically by author or book title. Make allowances as you see fit. Personally I will make allowances for library books, review books and non-fiction because my main goal is to read through my fiction stacks (graphic novels, children's/teen, and general fiction). See below:

• I will allow myself to drop books if they're not kicking up my skirt, but I will progress to the next book in line by author name.
• I will allow myself to veer off track when a review book or library hold comes calling or when I feel an overwhelming urge for a non-fiction break.
• I will include all genres of fiction: general/literary fiction, children's and adolescent, and graphic novels.

I will be reading my stacks in a reverse alphabetical order beginning with Z and working to A. This is another one of those things that's personal choice. If you want to read through a genre alphabetically by author name or book title, that's fine. If you want to read through a specific bookcase alphabetically, that's fine. And so on and so forth. Tailor this challenge to your own needs and ambitions.

You will find the challenge blog at: http://readinginorder.blogspot.com. If you wish to join the challenge blog so you can post your own reviews, leave a comment here with your e-mail or e-mail me at andi (dot) miller (at) gmail (dot) com.

Good luck!

Note: This is an open-ended challenge. There are no time constraints.

Reading In Order Challenge

Here it is! The official announcement of the Reading in Order Challenge. A few of you expressed interest in joining me when I mentioned this challenge before, so I threw together a button and we're off and running! Here's the poop on the challenge:

Goal: To read through one's stacks (a bookcase, several bookcases, the entire "to be read" pile, etc.) alphabetically.

The rules: Read alphabetically by author or book title. Make allowances as you see fit. Personally I will make allowances for library books, review books and non-fiction because my main goal is to read through my fiction stacks (graphic novels, children's/teen, and general fiction). See below:

• I will allow myself to drop books if they're not kicking up my skirt, but I will progress to the next book in line by author name.
• I will allow myself to veer off track when a review book or library hold comes calling or when I feel an overwhelming urge for a non-fiction break.
• I will include all genres of fiction: general/literary fiction, children's and adolescent, and graphic novels.

I will be reading my stacks in a reverse alphabetical order beginning with Z and working to A. This is another one of those things that's personal choice. If you want to read through a genre alphabetically by author name or book title, that's fine. If you want to read through a specific bookcase alphabetically, that's fine. And so on and so forth. Tailor this challenge to your own needs and ambitions.

You will find the challenge blog at: http://readinginorder.blogspot.com. If you wish to join the challenge blog so you can post your own reviews, leave a comment here with your e-mail or e-mail me at andi (dot) miller (at) gmail (dot) com.

Good luck!

Note: This is an open-ended challenge. There are no time constraints.

The Sunday Salon - Reading In Order: A Personal Challenge

I've long been perplexed and slightly overwhelmed by my hulking "to be read" or TBR pile. I have hundreds of books in my house that remain unread after years on my shelves, and while they still look tantalizing, it seems like I'm constantly looking over them in favor of other things. After I finished Julie and Julia the other day, I started thinking that I sort of wish my bookish (and life and work and romance, etc.) blog had a theme of some variety. Some goal or general purpose.

As I was lying in bed staring at my TBR and my library books and my review books I thought to myself, "Why don't I just read them in order?"

Hmmm. There's a thought.

I have my books alphabetized and categorized by genre. The general fiction is the one that gets passed up most often lately, so I've set a new personal challenge for myself. I plan to read through my books in order, alpha by author, beginning at the end of the alphabet and working my way toward the beginning. That means I'll be starting somewhere around Jane Yolen and working up to Jane Austen.

As you all know, I refer to myself as "the finicky reader" because my reading moods often dictate what I choose. Therefore, I probably need to give myself some leeway in this little project of mine to avoid burnout. The fine print:

• I will allow myself to drop books if they're not kicking up my skirt, but I will progress to the next book in line by author name.
• I will allow myself to veer off track when a review book or library hold comes calling or when I feel an overwhelming urge for a non-fiction break.
• I will include all genres of fiction: general/literary fiction, children's and adolescent, and graphic novels.

I don't undertake this challenge to limit myself in a bad or unpleasant way. In fact, I feel that having some sort of structure in the way that I attack the books I already own will push me to read some new titles and a larger variety than I have before. Oftentimes I have a hard time choosing my next read because three or four or five books are calling to me, but if I'm urged to take them one at a time, I think my "wandering eye" might be assuaged a bit.

I'm right smack dab in the middle of The Hunger Games, and I'm going to try to finish Jose Saramago's Death With Interruptions by the time it's due back at the library, but after those two are finished I'll be diving into my first "Reading In Order" book and whatever needs to be reviewed next.

I did take a quick glance at the shelves this morning, and I think the first book to begin this personal challenge really is Jane Yolen's Briar Rose. I'll check again later, but I'm almost certain that's the one. Incidentally, it's been sitting on my shelves for several years, it looks great, but it always gets passed over. No longer! Watch out, Jane Yolen, here I come!

If anyone else cares to join me in this personal challenge--if you're as nutball crazy as me--let me know. I might even make a button for it!

The Sunday Salon - Reading In Order: A Personal Challenge

I've long been perplexed and slightly overwhelmed by my hulking "to be read" or TBR pile. I have hundreds of books in my house that remain unread after years on my shelves, and while they still look tantalizing, it seems like I'm constantly looking over them in favor of other things. After I finished Julie and Julia the other day, I started thinking that I sort of wish my bookish (and life and work and romance, etc.) blog had a theme of some variety. Some goal or general purpose.

As I was lying in bed staring at my TBR and my library books and my review books I thought to myself, "Why don't I just read them in order?"

Hmmm. There's a thought.

I have my books alphabetized and categorized by genre. The general fiction is the one that gets passed up most often lately, so I've set a new personal challenge for myself. I plan to read through my books in order, alpha by author, beginning at the end of the alphabet and working my way toward the beginning. That means I'll be starting somewhere around Jane Yolen and working up to Jane Austen.

As you all know, I refer to myself as "the finicky reader" because my reading moods often dictate what I choose. Therefore, I probably need to give myself some leeway in this little project of mine to avoid burnout. The fine print:

• I will allow myself to drop books if they're not kicking up my skirt, but I will progress to the next book in line by author name.
• I will allow myself to veer off track when a review book or library hold comes calling or when I feel an overwhelming urge for a non-fiction break.
• I will include all genres of fiction: general/literary fiction, children's and adolescent, and graphic novels.

I don't undertake this challenge to limit myself in a bad or unpleasant way. In fact, I feel that having some sort of structure in the way that I attack the books I already own will push me to read some new titles and a larger variety than I have before. Oftentimes I have a hard time choosing my next read because three or four or five books are calling to me, but if I'm urged to take them one at a time, I think my "wandering eye" might be assuaged a bit.

I'm right smack dab in the middle of The Hunger Games, and I'm going to try to finish Jose Saramago's Death With Interruptions by the time it's due back at the library, but after those two are finished I'll be diving into my first "Reading In Order" book and whatever needs to be reviewed next.

I did take a quick glance at the shelves this morning, and I think the first book to begin this personal challenge really is Jane Yolen's Briar Rose. I'll check again later, but I'm almost certain that's the one. Incidentally, it's been sitting on my shelves for several years, it looks great, but it always gets passed over. No longer! Watch out, Jane Yolen, here I come!

If anyone else cares to join me in this personal challenge--if you're as nutball crazy as me--let me know. I might even make a button for it!