My First Challenge! Speculative Fiction

I have decided to try my first Challenge!

This Challenge is hosted by Book_Chick_City

The Challenge runs January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

There are 4 levels:

Inquisitive - read 3 Speculative Fiction novels.

Enthusiastic - read 6 Speculative Fiction novels.

Addicted - read 12 Speculative Fiction novels.

Obsessed - Read 24 Speculative Fiction novels.

I think I am going to fall in the category of Addicted. (maybe by the end of the year I will hit Obsessed too... we shall see.)

If you would like to sign up click the link above and sign up over at Book Chick City.

If you are curious as to what falls in this category here is a list from Book Chick City:

Genres:

-Science Fiction

sub-genres: hard/soft SF, cyberpunk, time travel, alternative history, space opera

-Fantasy Fiction

sub-genres: dark fantasy, urban fantasy, magic realism, quest, mythical fantasy, steampunk

-Horror Fiction

sub-genres: paranormal, gothis literature, splatterpunk

-Supernatural Fiction

-Superhero Fiction

-Utopian and Dystopian Fiction

-Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

I used the site: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/directory.cgi to verify if my reads fall in the Speculative Fiction category... And well... I think I am going to fall in the Obsessed class as everything in my tbr pile seems to fall here. I should be set for the year with reads.

My picks thus far for next year:

1. Before They Are Hung - By Joe Abercrombie

2. Last Arguement of Kings - By Joe Abercrombie

3. Nyphron Rising - By Michael Sullivan

4. Darker Angels - By M.L.N. Hanover

5. Demond Bound - By Caitlin Kittredge

6. Fire - By Kristin Cashore

7. Graceling - By Kristin Cashore

8. Hunger Games book #3 - By Suzanne Collins

9.

10.

11.

12.

(this list is not etched in stone but is most likely, along with starting the 10 book series by Steven Ericson.)

I am really getting excited now!!!

It's Tuesday...Where are you? (6)

This is hosted by
An_Adventure_In_Reading

The Grossbart brothers and I have been staying in the estate of Captain Alexius Barousse. We have brought him back his Siren and have been staying here unknown to us as captures. We have enjoyed our relaxing stay in the large house with the garden and lots of food and drink. Now things are starting to move. The priest that traveled here with us returned with bad news of how he has not been able to leave the town and they are coming to arrest us with him. Now, they are here. Captain Barousse has stalled the men they have brought, by convincing Cardinal Bunuel he will turn us over to him in the house and the Captains men will escort us out. But Rodrigo, the Captains right man, has just informed us we are to take the Cardinal prisoner. I thought we were to be taking a boat away this morning to Gyptland, where the Grossbart brothers are heading.

The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart

By: Jesse Bullingon

Monday's Beginnings (16)

This is the beginning of a new week!

So, I am wondering:

How are you fareing in reading your books or are you starting a new book for the new week? The beginning of the week always seems to be a great time to start anew. To me it seems to be the way Monday goes is a sign of how the week will follow. Have you been able to get much reading time in today? Or are you going to be rushed all week to get everything into the short 24 hour day?

I am still adding books to my reading list. This week I have only picked up two books. Two is not that many, but that is okay. I am again behind in reading blogs and I am really limiting my picks this last week, as my tbr stack here has grown with my addiction of purchasing books and with Christmas coming I don't want to purchas anymore - but my list of tbr is TOOOO big. I am never going to get through it! So, I keep reminding my husband that I would love to get books for Christmas. I will see what I will get. Even gift cards would work if he is afraid of getting the wrong books. So thank you all! This is still a wonderous thing! You are all helping to keep me out of trouble and these wonderful authors in work. I am kind of trying to make notes of books to read but the must, must reads are on the top of the list (that is what list these books are on).

With the holiday season and all the running for shopping and even browsing to get ideas for gifts has taken a lot of my reading time away from me. I am still in the same book I started last week, The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart by Jesse Bullington. This read is for a discussion over at Barnes and Nobles, so I will be taking my notes with my stickies. LOL. I had thought I would be able to get back on my routine again... well, I think I was mistaken. Now I am trying to get done shopping and purchasing those lovely gifts that I don't even know what to get, then find time to wrap them all. My husband has also decided to redo some of our kitchen at the same time. AAARRGGHHH! Yeap, holidays and just a little redo in kitchen. Crazy man! Thank goodness we don't have anyone here for Christmas.

As for today, I didn't get any reading done yet. I am going to set an hour aside this evening before bed to get more reading in. I feel the need to get through the current book I am on so I can move on to the next on my list.

So, I am hoping this is not how the week is going to go... always fighting to get the reading in.

Now... this leaves us with one question left... How does it look for your reading progress to fare this week?

Balderdash (14)

Word Verification Balderdash
is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

This is very easy to do.

If you comment on blogs you can do this too.

Write down all the word verifications you get while posting comments on other peoples blogs.

You then play Balderdash with them.

In case you don't know how to play, you take the made up word and come up with an authentic sounding definition for it.

Do this for a week and then post your best or favorite ones every Thursday.

Here are mine for this week:

Vitenspa - an elegant spa retreat, which is reasonably priced, that uses all natural minerals and vitamins in the spa treatment.

deditch - when your friends track you down in the mall to hang our with you for the remainder of the time there, after they ditched you when you all first got there.

aphympi - the sudden frightening thought that you forgot to do something and then remember you needed to do it yesterday.

comploi - to think over a ploy to use people to help others or get what one needs.

spinguse - the need to use that newly purchased or gifted item as soon as you get home with it.

pyred - the process of burning any and all burnable items to get rid of them.

Book Giveaway!!

Enter to the contest over at SciFiGuy.ca to win on of these... Contest ends December 8th at Midnight!

SciFiGuy.ca Has a great interview of Kelly Meding and Kelly Gay. On their new books.

Both of these books look and sound fabulous! I need to get my hands on these. Oh Santa dear...

Favorite Fictional Character (13)

Favorite Fictional Character

Thanks to the creative mind of Ryan at Wordsmithonia who started this on Wednesdays.

Well, with the weather turning to a chill and the frost is starting to nip at our noses, I figured I would pick a Fictional Character this week which I have loved since a little child. Soon we here in the North Eastern United States will be seeing, for about three months, our favorite friend... Suzy Snowflake.

I saw the short video of Suzy Snowflake on Thanksgiving and just smiled. The tune is so catchy to me and I know just about every word. I always waited as patiently as I could by the window waiting for Suzy to come tapping so we could go out side to play. And hoping that we would have a snow day. Suzy Snowflake always ment bundling up to go play in the snow and have snowball battles.

I think she is one of the only holiday figure who does not have her own show for this time of year. I have never been able to figure that out. Jack Frost even got his own show... Hmmm makes you wonder huh?

So, I have decided to share my favorite video of Suzy Snowflake with you. Please keep in mind this is an old video that I got off of YouTube so it is a little fuzzy. But this is the video my mom grew up with as did I. So with out further ado here is Suzy....

Teaser Tuesdays (12)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event.

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading.

(I am rotating from Teaser Tuesday and Where are you? on Tuesdays. This week is the teaser.)

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading
(anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 "teaser" sentences from anywhere on the page.

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!
(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests.

List the book and author so other participants can get their hand on it if they choose to read it as well.

This Week:

A twig snapped in the blackness, and Nicolette was crying and banging on the door with both hands. The old woman let her in, slipped the board back into place, and brought the girl to her meager firepit.

The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart

By Jesse Bullington