Worming through

Hi.

I need to go out dancing. I can feel it. But I have priorities, i.e. leisure reading. Seriously.

A side note: I realize, that I really must update my current music playlists - I feel tired of quite a few songs on my latest playlist. But there's only 12 songs so far (I usually build up to 25-30 songs), and there are still a few songs I'd like to carry over. Usually, I like to leave those be - since I invariably get tired of them sooner than the rest. Even if I carry them over to the newer list, I don't like the fact that they're in 2 playlists. Don't ask, I just don't like it. And then there's a part of me that realizes that I'd be on my 13th playlist, and well, that's a lot of playlists on top of the rest of them... But I needs my new songs man... I needs them...

So if you care to provide an opinion, don't be shy.

Now onto the post.

Alright. So let's explain the deal. When I moved in I realized that I had a few books that I wanted to read (and re-read in this case) and well, let's just say I haven't been reading in the longest time ever. So I sat down, acquired a few of said books and started to read. The main problems with the books I chose to read, are that they're huge and there are 6 of them.

But the crazier part is that well, I'm already on the 5th. Because all I do is read. I manage to stop myself when I get to work and it's inconvenient at they gym, since I've preferred reading the ebooks on my phone. But I just can't stop myself from reading at the rest of the time.

On top of the rest, I've already read these books (except the last, which is why I felt motivated to start from the beginning - you know, it's been ages, and I want to have it fresh in my mind). So I keep reading till I hit parts that I enjoyed reading. And I can't seem to stop until I've read the resolutions of the parts I've been itching to read either.

But of course the joke's on me. I've gotten to the point where I miss the feel of having an actual book in my hands to read. I'm sorry, but electronic readers just can't replace the feel of a paperback bent open in your fingers. Sure they're convenient, but it's just not the same.

And the irony of it all is that I can't seem to put down the story long enough to get out of my apartment and head to the local library to pick it up in person.

So since they've been on my mind, I figured I'd take the time to talk about the books that I are on my docket, and that I wait for anxiously (when I remember to think about them :P).

I've been currently making my way through 2 series, Women of the Otherworld and Earth's Children.

I started reading the first when I came across the show "Bitten". Of course, I wasn't really impressed, but I saw that it was based on the first of a long list of novels by Kelly Armstrong. As you might guess, it's about supernatural women - duh - in our world and how they strive to fit in. And well, of course there's a little hanky panky here and there ^_^.

I do believe there are 13 books in the series, and even though the narrator changes from book to book, they are all linked and some narrators reappear further down the line. I have to say it's a pretty interesting series - there's suspense, action, mystery - a lot more than the everyday romance fluff, so my brain feels refreshed after reading. I've finished the 9th book, and will soon pick up with #10.

At this very moment I am on the last book of Earth's Children by Jean M Auel (these are the books I mentioned at the start). It's a fictional series at the time of the neanderthals and the first humans, at the end of the ice age. I've read this series before, and I had been itching to re-read it. So now I'm on the last of the series - but it's actually taking quite some time to get through it. I read a few pages a day - I really wonder why I'm so busy... it's a little crazy really.

Back to the book - it's a bit of a long read. There's the plot line of the main characters and the frequent explanation of the biomes and the eventual shifting of the global climate from an omniscient future narrator. It's interesting, but it can get a bit dry - probably why I've ended up reading at least 2 books from the Otherworld series just to take a break from this last book. I imagine I'll be reading a third sometime soon - that is if I have time between all the work and training I've been doing.

So what's up ahead? Well, I doubt I'll be branching off into any other books until at least one of these 2 series is done, but I do have a few books that I'm eager to read soon.

The first is a surprising choice for me - The Sixth Extinction. I first heard about it on a NPR interview with the author. The same day, I saw her on the Daily Show. I figured it was fate, and I had to read it. Well, that wasn't the only reason I decided I needed to read it. It's about the human race, the 6th extinction. It takes a look at how our impact - even the well meaning - has such a huge impact on the global system, on par with past extinctions like the meteor that crashed into the earth killing the dinosaurs. It seems really fascinating to me - like realizing that the growth of the human population is similar to that of viral infection. Like, wow, we really are a virus! Haha ok, so yeah, I want to read it.

The next on the docket is also one I heard about via NPR interview: The Martian. The novel takes place in the future, where a team has been sent on a mission to Mars. However, there is a severe accident, causing the astronauts to return home - leaving behind one of their own, believed to be dead when his suit's life signs stop. So this lone astronaut has to survive on Mars hoping that another mission will be ventured - allowing him to hitch a ride home. I'm excited especially because the scientific details are supposed to be highly accurate.

Another book I'm hoping to read in the near future is the second in The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. I found the first of the series very compelling and it definitely ended before I was ready to stop reading. The format of the first book is a bit confusing to explain - but the point of view jumps around to different characters. I had a few narrators that I particularly favored, but all of them were written very well. I expect the same will hold for the second novel.

Now, there are also a few books that are on the docket, but on the very last shelf. I'll probably get to them eventually, but I'm happy to take my time. Now that I think about it, most of these are sequels.... anyway.

So let's see... There's the sequel to The Passage, a book that looks at the outbreak of a pandemic that, well turns humans into vampires or mindless blood suckers. But the timeline of the novel spreads from modern day to decades down the line, where the remains of the unaffected human race have been reduced to isolated camps living in perpetual light - but their flood lamps are starting to fail, as the technology to make/fix them has been forgotten. It's quite an epic novel, and it probably wasn't the greatest idea to read it after watching all of the resident evil movies... And that might be why I'm hesitating to get into the book - not to mention it's a huge book.

There is also the follow up novels to Ender's Game. I'm definitely interested in reading it, but I think I need to be in the mood for it. (which reminds me, I have yet to watch that movie...)

I'd like to read the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. I've just been putting it off because I know that the book ends in a massive cliff hanger, and the third book is not yet out. So, that'll definitely be on hold.

I want to read American Gods and Anansi's Boys by Neil Gaiman. I've started American Gods so many times now, but I just haven't ever finished. I'll definitely have to re-read what I've already finished since I barely remember what I've read. So it'll happen when it happens.

Then there's the rest of the Beautiful Creatures series. I first heard about the book when I saw the movie trailer - so I read the book, and realized that I would never watch the movie. So now all that's left is the rest of the series.

Then of course there's Game of Thrones. I've started the first book, and I think I remember everything I've read so far. I just need to remember where I am so that I don't have to re-read it. Because I actually remember everything. I mean I could just watch the show, but I really want to read the books and see the book come to life with the shows. I doubt I'll be disappointed.

Lastly, I'd like to read the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. I know it'll be good and there's already 2 books out so far. So hopefully I'll remember to read it when I get into that kinda mood.

So finally, there are a few books that I've been eagerly awaiting publishing. And well, waiting for a book to come out takes WAAAAAAAAAY more patience than waiting for a tv show or movie. Seriously, it's annoying, which is why I like to wait till the series are complete to read them - but that's a pain too...

First up is the next book in the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Now it says that it'll be coming out in May of this year, but I'll only be sure when I have the book in my hands to read. But I am so amp-ed to read it! I mean you have the whole Outsiders thing and Demonreach being a supernatural prison by Merlin with super crazy powerful bad dudes and Molly being turned into the Winter Lady and the whole unsatisfactory status of Dresden and Murphy.... ahhhhh I want to read the next book already... Ok.......... next book.

The 4th book in the series that started with the Warded/Painted Man by Peter Brett. It's one of the books that carries the same vibe as the Night Angel's trilogy or the Mistborn trilogy. So essentially I enjoy it, but I'd like to find out the end of the story already. Seriously, let's get this done. Ok, so actually the third book ended in a bit of a cliff hanger, so I'd like to see where it goes.

Now there are books other than those 2 that I'm waiting for, but I'm happy to let them come as they do in their own time. (time it takes to wait for them will probably go faster that way)

So till then, I'll be worming my way through those books, and hopefully the new releases will be here tomorrow. Seriously. Tomorrow would be great. ^_^