So I made it a goal for me to review ALL the books I read this year, and while mostly that’s working out okay there are some reviews that’ve really lagged behind. I’ve basically given up on the ones before May, but I’ve read some v. good book since then and I want to at least MENTION them.
I suppose also I’m just a completest– I like looking at my Books Read list and seeing every book linked to a review. I won’t apologize for being a weirdo but I’m pretty sure next year I’m going to be more lenient on myself about reviewing stuff.
That said, do any of you have the same reviewing goal as I do? Do you try to review every book you read, or do you only review certain ones? What do YOU do when you fall behind on your reviews?
Okay! Onto the reviews:
073. The Spy Lady and the Muffin Man – Sesyle Joslin [rating: 4] *
1975, Hardcover, 189pp / bought / reread May 4-6, 2012
Read this if you a) can find it (it’s sadly out of print) and b) enjoy 1970s children’s books where the parents aren’t insane, the kids are adorable and precocious, and the narrative is in almost-diary-format. Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
096. The Fry Chronicles – Stephen Fry [rating: 4] a
2011, audiobook, 12:29:05 / ? / read May 30-31, 2012
Read this if you like Stephen Fry. Like, REALLY like Stephen Fry. If you like him so much you’re willing to sit through 12 hours of him apologizing for being amazing but still having lots of self-doubt. If you don’t like Stephen Fry, you won’t like this book. Why would you even read a memoir of someone you don’t like? Get a hobby, for Pete’s sake.
097. Nightshifted – Cassie Alexander [rating: 3.5] eR
2012, eARC, 394pp / NetGalley / read June 1, 2012
Read this if you like paranormal romances that aren’t stupid and that’re just a little creepy and also there are nurses. Also! The vampires are scary and deadly and not really available for romancing. Yay!
098. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents – Terry Pratchett [rating: 4.5] *
2000, Paperback, 340pp / bought / reread June 6-7, 2012
Everything I said when I first read this in November 2010 is still true. If you don’t want to read that review, though:
Read this if you like snarky cats and intelligent rodents and people who think they’re in a book or something. Also, if you really like it when Terry P. goes heavy on the “here is what humans are about” stuff (like he did in Nation).
107. Dreams in the Golden Country – Kathryn Lasky [rating: 3.5] *
1998, Hardcover, 188pp / PaperbackSwap / reread June 16, 2012
Read this if you’re nostalgic for the Dear America series like I am, or if you just like MG historical fiction that isn’t too terrible. I think this is one of the better ones– it’s set in NYC in the early 20th century during one of the huge immigrant influx and since the protag is Jewish there’s lots of interesting cultural stuff, too. Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
108. On Writing – Stephen King [rating: 4] *
2000, Hardcover, 288pp / borrowed / reread June 17, 2012
Read this if you like Stephen King and wanna find out more about how he started writing, or if YOU want to write but you’re not sure about stuff. It’s a good mix of how-to and memoir.1
110. Spellwright – Blake Charlton [rating: 4]
2010, Paperback, 446pp / ALA 2012 / read June 26-27, 2012
Read this if you want to read a fantasy that’s not centered on supernatural creatures, and that has a VERY interesting magic system. It’s literally words. Words! And the hero’s dyslexic (or whatever’s equivalent in that world)! How could you NOT be excited to read this?2
There! Now I can relax for a bit. Just until I fall massively behind on reviews again, of course. Woohoo!
Footnotes