Books of 2010

[greenconverses]

1. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
2. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
3. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
4. 39 Clues #7: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
5. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
6. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
7. The Oracles of Delphi Keep by Victoria Laurie
8. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
9. The Shadow Thieves (Cronus Chronicles 1) by Anne Ursu
10. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
11. Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson
12. O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell
13. Siren Song (Cronus Chronicles 2) by Anne Ursu
14. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahme-Smith
15. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
16. Catching Fire by Suzanna Collins
17. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
18. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
19. Lion's Heat by Lora Leigh

Look, guys! I only read two YA books in the last two weeks! Aren't you proud of me? ;)

So, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was written by the same guy who did the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies mash-up, and it proved that this guy could actually write without leaning on Jane Austen's words and plotting otherwise. Although I thought it was going to be more tongue-in-cheek a la PPZ, Vampire Hunter was actually fairly serious...as serious as you can get by inserting vampires into American History. Because I was expecting it to be hilarious, I thought it was a pretty slow read until I got used to the idea that it was actually just a biography with vampires. I did enjoy it though, and I learned a lot about Lincoln's history that I didn't know before hand. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending, except to say that it was something I didn't see coming (although I really should have).

In case you missed the three posts I've already had about The Hunger Games, yes, I did read them, and yes, I did love them with the force of a burning sun. What's not to love about a book with a kickass female heroine, interesting cast of supporting characters, and a hell of a world set-up? Although I'm firmly on Team Peeta (and maybe a bit of Team Finnick, just because Finnick is a BAMF), I'm starting to think it would be better if Katniss didn't end up with anyone in the end because I don't think she loves Peeta or Gale in the way they want her to and that wouldn't be fair to either of them or her. I think Collins was showing us that she could grow to love Peeta in that way, given more time and a peaceful life, but I just don't think it's going to happen. I really hope Collins doesn't drag the love triangle out in the last book because that's what bogs it down most of the time.

I started the Sookie Stackhouse series last summer, but I hadn't picked up any of the other books in the series until now, possibly because I just wasn't in the mood for it. I've really liked the last two installments, although Bill could go DIAF, and thank god the characters are not as obnoxious as they are in True Blood ("I AM VAMPIRE," shut up Bill, srsly). One thing I hated about Living Dead in Dallas, in particular, is that Charlaine Harris tried to pack in too many plotlines in one book and it just made it an exhausting read. I don't know about anyone else, but I find these books hard to tackle (and by that, I can't sit down and read them in one sitting). I don't know what it is that makes them such a drag to read because they are a lot of fun and overall, I usually like them. Maybe once Eric gets more involved they'll pick up pace again.

And last but not least, a new Lora Leigh book. Lora Leigh is one of two romance novelists I consistently read, mostly because she rights damn good porn and a lot of it. Her plotting is usually pretty good too and I don't want to strangle any of her characters right off the bat. Her Breed series is a guilty pleasure read through and through though because I have to be in the right mood to put up with the uber possessive males, ~dark and edgy~ plotlines, and some of the shittastic dialogue during the sex scenes. Usually the porn makes up for it completely, but Lion's Heat was short on that compared to some of the other books in series, and worst of all, it had a baby in it. Sorry, but I'm 20 years old and while babies are great, I don't want them in my romance novels. Ever.

Currently reading: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith. I won a copy of this on GoodReads.com and I'm really happy I did because I might not have picked it up otherwise. Which would have been unfortunate because I'm loving it so far. It reads like awesome Pride and Prejudice prequel fanfic...but with zombies. If I could write stuff like this for the rest of my life, I would be so happy.

I've also trudged through 90 pages of the first Maximum Ride and I have hated every second of it. I'm going to see how far I can get before I toss it across the room in frustration, but I don't think I'm going to finish it, unless James Patterson miraculously starts writing chapters longer than a page and a half after the 100 pages mark or something.

Up next: The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostva, the next Sookie Stackhouse, and another book I borrowed from mysticfushia. Something about Jenna Fox or whatever.

Comments

[afierybrunette.livejournal.com]

May I highly reccomend another series for you (ignoring the fact that you are probably busy with plenty of other books)

The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare.

and yes, the chapters are sufficiently longer than five pages. ;p

excuse me while i join this conversation..

[rosegilmore.livejournal.com]

Ooh!! The Mortal Instruments were really good-but had it's weird moments....
Whats cool about the series is that Clare started writing through fanfiction! XD