September reading wrap-up: life after sabbatical

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As I reported earlier, September signaled the end of my free, rambling, sabbaticalized life. I’m happy to report that this has not adversely affected my reading. In fact, I think I might read more books while I’m teaching because actually having a job leaves less energy for the more taxing things I did while on sabbatical. I can’t actually remember what those taxing things were anymore, but I feel certain there was something.

This month my blog hit 100 followers, which was something of a benchmark for me. I actually got on blogger back in 2008, but didn’t do much until last year around Thanksgiving when I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. So I’ve decided to make November my official blogoversary, and that’s coming up soon. Very exciting.

I rediscovered audio books this month, which has me feeling very virtuous, in that I’ve already ‘read’ two books just by getting in my car and driving to work. I love it!

This month brings the grand total of books I have read this year to 76, which means I’m well on schedule to hit 100 books this year. Here’s what I read:

One Was A Soldier, by Julia Spencer-Fleming. This makes me officially all caught up on the Russ Van Elstyne and Claire Fergusson mystery series.

The Reapers Are the Angels, by Alden Bell, reviewed here. Loved this book. Best zombie book ever. Will definitely make my top ten for the year.

The Wilderness Plots, by Scott Russell Sanders, which I also reviewed. A great little historical exercise in brevity.

Huntress, by Malinda Lo. A book I’d been waiting for from the library for quite a long time, but found kind of disappointing.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and The Broken Kingdoms, both by N.K. Jemisin. This and Huntress were part of my quest for quality fantasy fiction. I struck gold with this series by N.K. Jemisin. I tore through the first book and moved on to the second. I can’t wait for the next installment. I love the things Jemisin is doing with race, gender and sexuality. And also they’re well-written page-turners.

Red Glove, by Holly Black. This is the second book in the Curse Workers Series. I didn’t like it as much as the first, I have to say. Maybe I should have gone back and read the other first, as I found I’d forgotten a lot of what happened. But I want the main character to grow a little bit. Maybe trust someone.

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, by Christopher Moore. I listened to this in my car, and then kind of reviewed it here. Mostly my review was about the experience of reading audio books more than it was about this book, though I enjoyed the book quite a bit.

The Boy With the Cuckoo Clock Heart, by Mathias Malzieu. When I finished The Lust Lizard, I had to have a new audio book. Immediately. So on the way to work that very morning, I stopped at the Hanover branch of our lovely library and picked this off of the shelf of audio books. I don’t think I’d really heard of this book, but it sounded interesting. It was read by Jim Dale, whom Emily at As the Crowe Flies (And Reads!) said was an amazing audio performer. Truly, he is. I have no idea how this book would have been without Jim Dale reading. I think if I was reading this book, I would have become frustrated with the paragraphs and paragraphs of description of how the main character is feeling. Listening to it, I didn’t much mind. And the ending threw me for quite a loop. I won’t include any spoilers, but has anyone else out there read this and have any comments on the ending? I’d love to hear them.

I’m currently listening to The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon and reading The Philosopher’s Kiss by Peter Prange.

Do you ever just kind of lose a book, or forget it’s there? I’ve had You Know When the Men Are Gone on my shelf for probably months now, and I really wanted to read it. And then what happened? Who knows? I think I had several bad experiences with “serious” fiction, and took refuge in fantasy (and zombies) for a while. Well, I’m diving back in. Wish me luck.

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