Home Sweet Own Book 42

All done! I finished all 42 books with little time to spare.

One of my favorite things are anthologies where the writers are given a theme and told "Go." Much like other anthologies this was a varied collection.

It was divided up into 3 sections: One Foot Out the Door, In the Middle of the Storm, and The Aftermath. As a lit major I could see the variations in the style of poetry. I enjoyed the different voices and discovered a few poets I want to look into more.

I believe that to get the most out of poetry you have to read it in small doses and drink each poem down slowly. It took me a while to read this way but I got more out of it. It was funny to read about heartbreak while my relationship with The Boy was going well.

1) Fiction – A Once Crowded Sky by Tom King

2) Nonfiction – The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

3) Sci-Fi – Redshirts by John Scalzi

4) Fantasy – The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

5) Mystery – Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

6) Horror – Call of the Jersey Devil by Aurelio Voltaire

7) Memoir/Biography – Data, A Love Story by Amy Webb

8) Chick Lit – Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

9) Feminist – Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

10) Teen – What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

11) Holiday – The Dreaded Feast edited by Michele Clarke and Taylor Plimpton

12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman

13) Short Stories – Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

14) Library – I Love Him to Pieces by Evonne Tsang and Janina Gorrissen

15) Animal – Puppy Kisses Are Good for the Soul by Howard Weinstein

16) Book about Books – Judging a Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto

17) New – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin

18) Old – Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P. N. Elrod

19) Pop Science – Why Men Fake It by Abraham Morgentaler, MD

20) Near – Lust, Lies, and Love Over Lunch by Krista White

21) Far – Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler

23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24) Wild Card – Altared edited by Colleen Curran

25) Otherworldly Creature – Those Who Fight Monsters edited by Justin Gustianis

26) Free – Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

27) Noteworthy – The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde

28) Bestseller – How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

29) Themed Anthology – Red edited by Kris Goldsmith

30) Steampunk – The Immersion Book of Steampunk edited by Gareth Jones and Carmelo Rafala

31) Movie-Book – One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

32) Media – Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

33) Travel – Love with a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche

34) Food – Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen

35) Classic – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

36) Humor – Sleep Talkin’ Man by Karen Slavick-Lennar

37) Poetry – It’s Not You, It’s Me: Poetry of a Break-Up edited by Jerry Williams

38) Past – Stasiland by Anna Funde

39) Future – Go to Hell by Pab Sungenis

40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic – Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Buckell & Joe Monti

41) Zombie – FUBAR, Volume 2: Empire of the Rising Dead

42) Sports – Red Rising by Ted Starkey

Music: Under by Evanescence

Home Sweet Own Book 41

Merry Thanksgivukkah to all and to all a good night! For Holiday I read The Dreaded Feast, an anthology in the broadest sense of the word. 

Feast had fictional stories, essays, and even one theological argument. One was an essay from the 2000s followed by a short story from the 1950s followed by the theological bit from the 1600s and let’s throw in some Bukowski and Sedaris for good measure.

It felt incredibly disjointed. More set-up or background going in would have been helpful. I had to figure out what was and wasn’t fiction and what took place when solely from reading. The first third was essays so randomly switching to fiction didn't help. When the material only has one thing holding it together the transitions are rough.

There were a few gems for me. Why I Love Christmas by John Waters, A Fruitcake Theory by Calvin Trillin, Home for the Holidays by Chris Radant, The Madonna of Turkey Season by Jay McInerny, Christmas Carol by Lewis Lapham, Christmas Shopping by Dave Barry, and Santa Responds.

1) Fiction – A Once Crowded Sky by Tom King

2) Nonfiction – The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

3) Sci-Fi – Redshirts by John Scalzi

4) Fantasy – The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

5) Mystery – Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

6) Horror – Call of the Jersey Devil by Aurelio Voltaire

7) Memoir/Biography – Data, A Love Story by Amy Webb

8) Chick Lit – Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

9) Feminist – Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

10) Teen – What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

11) Holiday – The Dreaded Feast edited by Michele Clarke and Taylor Plimpton

12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman

13) Short Stories – Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

14) Library – I Love Him to Pieces by Evonne Tsang and Janina Gorrissen

15) Animal – Puppy Kisses Are Good for the Soul by Howard Weinstein

16) Book about Books – Judging a Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto

17) New – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin

18) Old – Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P. N. Elrod

19) Pop Science – Why Men Fake It by Abraham Morgentaler, MD

20) Near – Lust, Lies, and Love Over Lunch by Krista White

21) Far – Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler

23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24) Wild Card – Altared edited by Colleen Curran

25) Otherworldly Creature – Those Who Fight Monsters edited by Justin Gustianis

26) Free – Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

27) Noteworthy – The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde

28) Bestseller – How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

29) Themed Anthology – Red edited by Kris Goldsmith

30) Steampunk – The Immersion Book of Steampunk edited by Gareth Jones and Carmelo Rafala

31) Movie-Book – One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

32) Media – Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

33) Travel – Love with a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche

34) Food – Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen

35) Classic – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

36) Humor – Sleep Talkin’ Man by Karen Slavick-Lennar

37) Poetry

38) Past – Stasiland by Anna Funde

39) Future – Go to Hell by Pab Sungenis

40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic – Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Buckell & Joe Monti

41) Zombie – FUBAR, Volume 2: Empire of the Rising Dead

42) Sports – Red Rising by Ted Starkey

Only one more book to go! So close I can taste it.

Music: Wish List by Neon Trees

Home Sweet Own Book 40

I bet you thought I’d forgotten about my book challenge in all the ‘no-job-no-income’ chaos. Nope. I remembered I was down to the final 3. I’m still working on the final two. 

For Library I read the first book in the graphic novel series My Boyfriend Is a Monster. It’s I Love Him to Pieces by Evonne Tsang and Janina Gorrissen. I discovered this series when I found the Frankenstein one at Baltimore Comic Con a couple of years ago.

I enjoyed this immensely. It’s a black and white that practically fits in your back pocket and you can devour in an hour. It starts normally enough but soon degrades into a zombie apocalypse in part of Florida with two teenagers stuck in the middle of it. The plot moves quickly and the story makes sense the entire time. Certain plot points could be seen as cliche but I thought it was all in good fun, especially since they had a semi-believable reason behind the zombies. I recommend it for fans of zombies or comics.

1) Fiction – A Once Crowded Sky by Tom King

2) Nonfiction – The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

3) Sci-Fi – Redshirts by John Scalzi

4) Fantasy – The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

5) Mystery – Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

6) Horror – Call of the Jersey Devil by Aurelio Voltaire

7) Memoir/Biography – Data, A Love Story by Amy Webb

8) Chick Lit – Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

9) Feminist – Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

10) Teen – What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

11) Holiday

12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman

13) Short Stories – Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

14) Library – I Love Him to Pieces by Evonne Tsang and Janina Gorrissen

15) Animal – Puppy Kisses Are Good for the Soul by Howard Weinstein

16) Book about Books – Judging a Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto

17) New – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin

18) Old – Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P. N. Elrod

19) Pop Science – Why Men Fake It by Abraham Morgentaler, MD

20) Near – Lust, Lies, and Love Over Lunch by Krista White

21) Far – Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler

23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24) Wild Card – Altared edited by Colleen Curran

25) Otherworldly Creature – Those Who Fight Monsters edited by Justin Gustianis

26) Free – Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

27) Noteworthy – The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde

28) Bestseller – How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

29) Themed Anthology – Red edited by Kris Goldsmith

30) Steampunk – The Immersion Book of Steampunk edited by Gareth Jones and Carmelo Rafala

31) Movie-Book – One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

32) Media – Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

33) Travel – Love with a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche

34) Food – Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen

35) Classic – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

36) Humor – Sleep Talkin’ Man by Karen Slavick-Lennar

37) Poetry

38) Past – Stasiland by Anna Funde

39) Future – Go to Hell by Pab Sungenis

40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic – Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Buckell & Joe Monti

41) Zombie – FUBAR, Volume 2: Empire of the Rising Dead

42) Sports – Red Rising by Ted Starkey

Music: I Will Never Die by Delta Rae

Home Sweet Own Book 39

For Noteworthy I’m doing the next book in a critically acclaimed series by Jasper Fforde, the Thursday Next series. It is one of my favorite series and a must read for any book lover. If you haven’t read the previous 6 books, you don’t have a chance of following the events of The Woman Who Died A Lot. 

There are reoccurring villains I was pleased to see return but it’s not Thursday as we always knew her. Still on the mend from injuries sustained in the last book, she’s not quite herself when facing these old foes.

The story is a bit unusual in that it takes place over a few days, something Fforde hasn’t done in this series. In that time Thursday has to help divert a smiting, thwart Goliath, run a library, help Friday readjust to never running the Chronoguard, and support Tuesday in her genius. 

Fforde crams a vast amount of detail and plot lines into a short timeframe but fans were prepared based on his previous books. If you’re not a fan, don’t start here. You will be so many versions of lost. Go back to the first book (The Eyre Affair) and work your way here. It’s worth it.

Bookworld didn’t have as much of role as it once did but it will play a critical role in the next book which I eagerly anticipate. Thursday is about to go where few have ever gone before.

1) Fiction – A Once Crowded Sky by Tom King

2) Nonfiction – The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

3) Sci-Fi – Redshirts by John Scalzi

4) Fantasy – The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

5) Mystery – Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

6) Horror – Call of the Jersey Devil by Aurelio Voltaire

7) Memoir/Biography – Data, A Love Story by Amy Webb

8) Chick Lit – Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

9) Feminist – Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

10) Teen – What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

11) Holiday

12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman

13) Short Stories – Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

14) Library

15) Animal – Puppy Kisses Are Good for the Soul by Howard Weinstein

16) Book about Books – Judging a Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto

17) New – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin

18) Old – Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P. N. Elrod

19) Pop Science – Why Men Fake It by Abraham Morgentaler, MD

20) Near – Lust, Lies, and Love Over Lunch by Krista White

21) Far – Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler

23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24) Wild Card – Altared edited by Colleen Curran

25) Otherworldly Creature – Those Who Fight Monsters edited by Justin Gustianis

26) Free – Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

27) Noteworthy – The Woman Who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde

28) Bestseller – How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

29) Themed Anthology – Red edited by Kris Goldsmith

30) Steampunk – The Immersion Book of Steampunk edited by Gareth Jones and Carmelo Rafala

31) Movie-Book – One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

32) Media – Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

33) Travel – Love with a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche

34) Food – Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen

35) Classic – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

36) Humor – Sleep Talkin’ Man by Karen Slavick-Lennar

37) Poetry

38) Past – Stasiland by Anna Funde

39) Future – Go to Hell by Pab Sungenis

40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic – Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Buckell & Joe Monti

41) Zombie – FUBAR, Volume 2: Empire of the Rising Dead

42) Sports – Red Rising by Ted Starkey

Music: Lost Raiders by Audiomachine

Home Sweet Own Book 38

For Animal I read Puppy Kisses Are Good for the Soul by Howard Weinstein. I heard him give a talk about dog training at Shore Leave where he hyped it. He made a point of saying one of the most popular Amazon reviews notes that, despite the stupid name, the book is an excellent resource. Half the book was a memoir of his life and experience of his beloved corgi Mail Order Annie and the other half was a training guide.

As someone who grew up a dog person it was entertaining to hear what it’s like for someone who doesn’t get a dog until later in life. Weinstein was very lucky to get Annie instead of Marley so he was able to learn gradually. I loved that one of my beloved cons, Shore Leave, was featured in the book multiple times. Because Weinstein made a living of writing Star Trek books, Annie often traveled with him to conventions.

The training half was as entertaining for me because a lot of it is stuff that I already knew. It’s good to be reminded since my little monsters came with a few bad habits but that part dragged for me. My dogs were already crate trained so I didn’t need the bow-to or reminder for late night potty breaks.

If you’re getting a new puppy or are new to the great animal we call dog, this is an invaluable tool. Weinstein uses positivity training which is a proven effective training method and allows you bond with your animal. If you want help training your dog, I highly recommend it.

1) Fiction – A Once Crowded Sky by Tom King

2) Nonfiction – The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

3) Sci-Fi – Redshirts by John Scalzi

4) Fantasy – The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

5) Mystery – Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

6) Horror – Call of the Jersey Devil by Aurelio Voltaire

7) Memoir/Biography – Data, A Love Story by Amy Webb

8) Chick Lit – Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

9) Feminist – Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

10) Teen – What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

11) Holiday

12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman

13) Short Stories – Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

14) Library

15) Animal – Puppy Kisses Are Good for the Soul by Howard Weinstein

16) Book about Books – Judging a Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto

17) New – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin

18) Old – Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P. N. Elrod

19) Pop Science – Why Men Fake It by Abraham Morgentaler, MD

20) Near – Lust, Lies, and Love Over Lunch by Krista White

21) Far – Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler

23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

24) Wild Card – Altared edited by Colleen Curran

25) Otherworldly Creature – Those Who Fight Monsters edited by Justin Gustianis

26) Free – Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin

27) Noteworthy

28) Bestseller – How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

29) Themed Anthology – Red edited by Kris Goldsmith

30) Steampunk – The Immersion Book of Steampunk edited by Gareth Jones and Carmelo Rafala

31) Movie-Book – One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

32) Media – Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

33) Travel – Love with a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche

34) Food – Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen

35) Classic – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

36) Humor – Sleep Talkin’ Man by Karen Slavick-Lennar

37) Poetry

38) Past – Stasiland by Anna Funde

39) Future – Go to Hell by Pab Sungenis

40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic – Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Buckell & Joe Monti

41) Zombie – FUBAR, Volume 2: Empire of the Rising Dead

42) Sports – Red Rising by Ted Starkey

Music: Animal by Neon Trees