lesmel 2015

2014 saw 246 books. An all time high that I don't want to repeat seeing as reading is about all I did. My goal for the year is 104 books. I've started the year with a LT Early Reviewer title: Empire of Sin.

Previous totals:

2014 - 246
2013 - 148
2012 - 162
2011 - 160

While I usually read mass market fiction, I picked up about 50 books at ALA in Las Vegas. Plus I've picked up a varied collection of hardbacks from 1/2 Priced Books Clearance, library book sales, and library withdrawals that otherwise would be recycled. Added to that are the 500+ free ebooks (I have almost the entire Barnes and Noble Classics ebook collection) that I "purchased" for the first two years I had a Nook. You could say I'm just a little obsessed about book buying. I don't buy, as a rule, for collector value -- though I do have a few gifts that could be considered collector pieces.

Q1 - Jan, Feb, Mar

Re-reads

1. The Shadow Queen - re-read 1/18/2015
   
2. Shalador's Lady - re-read 1/20/2015
   

Reads

1. Empire of Sin *** (finally! -- ER read)
   
2. Obsession in Death ***
   
3. Viper Game**
   
4. More Library Mashups (ER read)
   
5. Helsinki Noir *** (ER read)
   

Q2 - Apr, May, Jun

Re-reads

1. The Martian

Reads

1. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown **
   
2. The Voice ***
   
3. After Days **
   
4. He Wanted the Moon ***
   
5. Once in Every Life ***
   
6. Normal ***
   
7. Dead Heat (Briggs) ***
   
8. A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin ***
   
9. Daughter of Smoke and Bone ****
   
10. Snow Like Ashes ***
    
11. Station Eleven ***
    
12. Crash & Burn ****
    
13. Fear Nothing ****
    
14. Touch & Go ***
    
15. 42 Rules for Applying Google Analytics ****
    

DNF

1. Red Rising - 6/2015

Q3 - Jul, Aug, Sep

Re-reads

1. Samurai Game

Reads

1. Bent (ER book) **
   
2. Web Analytics Strategies for Information Professionals
   
3. Someone is Watching *****
   
4. The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly ****
   
5. Uprooted ****
   
6. House of Earth ***
   
7. We Don't Need Roads ***
   
8. Earth Bound **
   
9. The Color Purple ****
   
10. The Ridge ***
    
11. Rule's Obsession ***
    
12. Deja Dead ***
    
13. One Second After ***
    
14. Armada ***
    
15. The Prettiest One ***
    
16. The Library at Mount Char ****
    
17. Unfair ****
    
18. Tenacity **
    
19. Saga, Volume 4 ***
    
20. I Was the Cat ***
    
21. The Shock of Night ****
    
22. Devoted in Death ***
    
23. By Divine Right ***
    
24. Vertigo Essentials: The Sandman ***
    
25. Queen of the Tearling ****

Q4 - Oct, Nov, Dec

Re-reads

1. Love Only Once
   
2. Warrior

Reads

1. Heartsick ***
   
2. The Rook ****
   
3. Parable of the Sower ***
   
4. Invasion of the Tearling ***
   
5. Swan Song ***
   
6. Wait for Me ***
   
7. Hold on to Me ***
   
8. Last Words ***
   
9. Where Serpents Lie **
   
10. Rules for a Lady ***
    
11. A Test of Wills ****
    
12. Ryan's Return **
    
13. Bliss ***
    
14. Those Who Wish Me Dead ****
    
15. Beauty and the Beast **
    
16. Sleeping Beauty **
    
17. One Year After ***
    
18. The Good Neighbor **
    
19. Understanding Comics ***
    
20. Surface Tension **
    
21. A Hint of Frost ***
    
22. Ms. Marvel, Vol 1: No Normal ***
    
23. Thor, Vol 1: Goddess of Thunder ***
    
24. March, Book One ***
    
25. March, Book Two ***
    
26. The Night Bookmobile **
    
27. Frankenstein ***
    
28. Frankenstein ***
    
29. Prince of Wolves **
    
30. Last Unicorn ***
    
31. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage ***
    
32. Heroes, Vol 1 ***
    
33. Seveneves ***
    
34. Happy Camper **
    
35. Skin Deep **
    
36. Revival, Vol 1 ***
    
37. Revival, Vol 2 ***
    
38. Revival, Vol 3 ***
    
39. Revival, Vol 4 ***
    
40. Revival, Vol 5 ***
    
41. Left Behind **
    
42. A Feast of Souls ***
    
43. Sweet Dreams *
    
44. Redwall ***
    
45. Lost Memories ***
    
46. Technology and Professional Identity of Librarians ***
    
47. The Right Wrong Number ***
    
48. Career of Evil ****
    
49. Almost Forever with For the Baby's Sake ***
    
50. Lindbergh, The Tale of a Flying Mouse ****
    
51. Max the Brave ****
    
52. The Brendan Voyage ***
    
53. Granite ****
    
54. My Heart Belongs to You **
    
55. Unhinged **
    
56. The Summer of Winters ***
    
57. Confessions of a Gourmand, or How to Cook a Dragon ***
    
58. Devil's Kiss ***
    
59. Wicked in Your Arms ***
    

Still reading Empire of Sin. I'm having no luck in my reading this year. I did manage to finish a re-read of The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop.

I actually don't mind the lack of reading. I'm focusing on other things this year. It feels good to spend time doing other things. I think I got a little obsessed last year. Hopefully, this slowdown will lead to some good choices!

246 is a lot of books! Of course, I also feel that about 148.

Ha ha! I finished a book finally! I feel so proud of myself. Still working on Empire of Sin. Really need to get that finished since I'm four books in the hole for Early Reviewers with two more coming soon.

Have you been taking a break, or just struggling to find the right balance? Or have you found the right balance? It's interesting, your efforts to read less. Reverse from my life long efforts, although i do now try to read slower. Anyway congrats on book one. : )

>9 dchaikin: I would say I am trying to find my balance, but I think it is really reader burn out mixed with an urgent need to work through my family archive of documents, photos, etc. i have a feeling I will ramp up my reading over the next few months...or, at least, find myself reading 1-2 books a month as I planned.

Working through family archives can become it's own obsession, a rewarding one.

We all get reading burnout. Hope you find your balance and enjoy the reading you do.

>11 dchaikin: I love working on the stuff I have. I happened to be searching for my grandmother's diaries the other day and stumbled across my mother's baby book (which I didn't remember having) and THAT had photos of people I had never seen before.

Woohoo! Finished my ER read from September. If I could just get through my other three ER books, I would be tickled pink. I have started a couple other books:

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown -- meh. I really think I'm done with YA. I'm reading it, but I think I'd rather stab myself with a sharp object...repeatedly. So, I'm reading it in 2- or 3-page bites.

The Oral History Workshop -- This showed up on my porch yesterday (days later than it should have) with two other oral history titles. I've only read the first couple pages of the intro, but I wanted to read the whole thing. Encouraging!

I finished the newest book from Feehan's "Game" Series. Total disappointment. It's trashy romance; but usually it's fun and entertaining.

Finished two Early Reviewer books. I have a three more to go and I'll be caught up with the ER program! I've spent most of my time gardening, researching genealogy, or sewing. When I'm not focused on books, I'm finding myself much more productive. Productive in small (and big) ways. Sorting the pantry. Sweeping more often. Cleaning out and sorting my closet. Now if I could just focus that energy on clearing my dining room table!

Finished The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Bleh. My review: Mostly weird and boring with a really idiotic girl for a protagonist. About 2/3 through, it gets interesting. If you can stay awake that long. Or care about any of the characters that long.

Read an Anne Bishop novella yesterday The Voice.
Essentially a coming of age story in very short form. Set in the Ephemera universe. Typical of Bishop's work -- the treatment of women by men, strong female characters, etc. There's just enough here to either draw you into her other Ephemera books or remind you of the books.

Finished After Days on Saturday.

I'm in the middle of reading The Search by Roberts, A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Jordan, and He Wanted the Moon by Baird. The Baird book is an Early Reviewer title. I seem to read a few pages in one book, put it down, wander into another room, read a few pages in another book, wander into another room, read a few pages in the third book. I also have The Oral History Workshop in my car when I'm waiting anywhere. I'm in no rush to finish any of the titles.

Finished two more books: He Wanted the Moon (an ER read) and Once in Every Life. I'm re-reading Ender's Shadow. I still am working on A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin and The Oral History Workshop.

I'll have three days on almost uninterrupted reading time starting Sunday. I'll be sticking to ebooks since I will be in a hospital waiting room most of those three days.

Three days in a waiting room! I hope that the person you're waiting for does well and that your chair is a comfortable one.

>20 RidgewayGirl: Thx! I think it will really only be about 4 hours in the waiting room (please, please, please!) and the rest will be a hospital room.

I've just about abandoned reading for the year, it seems. I still have my ER books to read and review. In the meantime, I'm reading up on metadata, Dublin Core, and best practices. I set up an digital archive site via Omeka; hence the focus on metadata and Dublin Core.

In other news, the hospital waiting was incredibly shorter (2.5 hrs) than I expected...so was the surgery (1.5 hrs) and stay (overnight). The results were great, too. Whew! What a relief!!

Finished Normal by Graeme Cameron. Oddly compelling story narrated by a serial killer. Basically, the book covers the last three months of what had been a tidy, quiet, murderous life. At the end, I am not sure if I was cheering for the serial killer or his victims. Maybe both...and that is disturbing.

"...the last three months of what had been a tidy, quiet, murderous life."

: )

Glad your hospital visit was better than anticipated. Hope you are recovering well (assuming you were the patient. )

I lost track of your thread, but reading through i think that if your power ever goes out in the winter, some of those ER books might make nice kindling. Good luck with your reading and archiving.

Finished Dead Heat and A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin over the weekend. I'm just about done with Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I figure I'll finish it tonight.

I'm going to fight my way through my ER reads. Especially since the newest ER (Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice) showed up on Monday! This means I have the following to get through:

Bent
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly
Someone Is Watching
The Library at Mount Char
We Don't Need Roads
Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice

Finished Snow Like Ashes and Station Eleven.

Snow like Ashes was good. Better than I expected. I didn't actually remember why I'd bought it until I'd read the book blurb. The story is a predictable; but I was mostly impressed with the main character. Short version: a kingdom is destroyed, the few remaining people scattered, a power hungry king is determined to rule all the kingdoms, magic (and our heroine) aren't gonna take that lying down. Some might call this high fantasy. I don't really see it as high fantasy. I see it as dipping your toes in fantasy lite with a spritz of romance. There's too much telling rather than showing -- especially of the magic elements -- to make this a credible fantasy novel. However, I'm impressed with the main character Meira for not depending on anyone to help her out of tough situations. Although, points deducted for a love triangle. Meh. And the plot twist? You would need to be oblivious to every hint on nearly every page to think there's some shocking twist.

Station Eleven was....ok. Hmm. More character study than end of the world story. I found it mostly yawn inducing rather than compelling. However, the writing is lovely...evocative. I would be willing to read something else by Mandel in a heartbeat. Having said that, I think Mandel wants the reader to stay off-balance; and slipping between characters and time is a VERY effective device.

Finished Crash & Burn by Lisa Gardner
When I first started this book, I was worried. I was worried for the main character. I was worried the direction the book was taking. I was worried Gardner would break my little heart. There was really no reason to worry. Gardner writes exceptional suspense novels. She leads her readers just the right way to make the plot twists memorable. I saw a couple twists, but I think that has to do with having read most of Gardner's works.

My first DNF for the year. Red Rising

Attemped 6/2015. I like dystopian novels; but I don't care for this at all. I read about 1/2 the book. I'm pretty sure this would have gotten 2 stars if I'd finished the book.

The parts I didn't like:
* "One to rule them all" feeling.
* Weird enhancements that have absolutely no grounding in science
* Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies (several people have mentioned this)
* Endlessly boring parts
* Gratuitous violence that doesn't forward the plot

Jun was my busiest reading month so far! Finished up since my last update:

Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner
Good read. Excellent twists. Only annoyance was the slight repetitiveness about "the most painful injury possible." I think we got it after the third time. Then again, pitting the ultimate painful experience against a genetic inability to feel pain...that was brilliant.

Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner
Convoluted plot, but not complex. For once, no women die. The "bad guy" wasn't much of a shock. Someone needs to teach Gardner (or her editor) the proper phrase is "could NOT care less."

42 Rules for Applying Google Analytics
Unintentionally read this for work. It's good, not great. It would be great if it picked maybe 5 rules and explained each in detail (how to set up and use event tracking, for example).

Bent (ER book)
This reads like one long, undated, convoluted diary entry. The book is labeled "memoir" when it should be labeled "rambling about life with very little point."

Web Analytics Strategies for Information Professionals
Read for work. Typical LITA publication with multiple essay-style chapters (in Part One) and essays (in Part Two). Great information. The case studies are as helpful as the bibliography.

Finished
Someone Is Watching
Great read. Definitely an homage to Hitchcock's Rear Window. I will say the book runs a little slow, but I think it is purposeful pacing rather than needless dragging. I am thrilled to see this is going to be part of a series.
**This was an advanced reader copy won through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.**

The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly
Interesting. Compelling. Heart-wrenching. Appalling. I could continue with the one word descriptions. If you a curious about medicine or how doctors are made, this is an interesting view into one man's internship/residency. I worry, though, about this book. McCarthy's previous memoir has produced some doubt to its veracity. I worry this book will suffer the same fate.
**This was an advanced reader copy won through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.**

Uprooted
Good read! In short, this is a Eastern European folk tale crossed with a love of "modernish" fantasy. Novik always seems to write well even when I'm ready to drop her books. The book starts a little slow; and the characters aren't really that likable. Overall, though, the story wins out. I'm sort of disappointed Novik threw in some romance -- it wasn't needed, it sort of borders on creepy, and some might call it abusive.

This weekend, I'm planning to catch up on my last three ER reads. Finally!

Finished House of Earth by Woody Guthrie ***
Others have called the "poetic" and "lyrical" and a large portion filled with sex -- and all that is true. I think it's also...not meant to entertain. I can't say it's boring (it's not); but this book is not a beach read or a "weekend in the hammock" read. Like some have said, I got the feeling I was reading Steinbeck while reading this. Also, it's important to read the introduction.

I didn't know Woody Guthrie wrote a book.

You seem to be cruising again with your reading. Interesting to see your information sciences reading.

Managed four more books before the end of July:

We Don't Need Roads
Moderately entertaining not-quite "tell all"/behind the scenes non-fiction about the Back to the Future trilogy. While the author seems to be overly enthusiastic for the subject, that doesn't translate in the mostly dry retelling of how the movies were written, shopped out, made, and received. There are a few "juicy" tidbits; but overall there isn't much here that can't be found in the DVD commentaries.

The Color Purple
I can see why this is a "classic." Between the dialect, the violence, and the weird interpersonal dynamics, this is a really tough read. While I know the story from the movie, I think the movie and the story are their own animals. Both are good in their own right. The intro by Alice Walker might be better read as an afterword. Otherwise, you might spend your entire time trying to parse her insights instead of your own.

The Ridge
Weird contemporary fantasy-ish ghost story-ish tale. I'm sure there has got to be an urban legend or regional ghost story that this book is based on. The interesting, individual parts of the story don't really seem to make a better whole. Still, Koryta writes well. Enough that I would try another of his books.

Earth Bound
Feehan continues to torture her characters. I think this was rushed and could have been a great novella instead of a good book.

I've started the first Kathy Reichs book Deja Dead, but I'm already struggling to read more than a few pages at a time.

I still have The Library at Mount Char to read for ER. I'm not finding that a very compelling read.

Nearly caught up on ER books. I'm reading the most recent ER title -- Shock of Night. I didn't want to put it down last night. I also started Queen of the Tearling (liking it) and Parable of the Sower (hating it). I'll probably read the newest JD Robb this weekend, too. Then again, I really need to work on my Christmas gifts since they are all handmade this year.

Finished The Shock of Night for Early Reviewers. YAY! Caught up! Very good read. I noticed several people chose not to request it since the novel is from a Christian publisher. I've never had a problem with Christian fiction; and I never noticed anything overtly Christian in the novel. I'll probably read at least the next in the series (maybe it's just going to be a trilogy?).

Read Saga, Volume 4 and I Was the Cat. I can't not read Saga. I'm stuck needing to know the story. Even when the images are incredibly gory and violent. Eh. Paul Tobin's graphic novel was...ok. I would have been happier if the thing had been published oversized.

Devoted in Death was brain candy. I'm also stuck on reading the Eve Dallas series. I want to know when Peabody and McNab are gonna get married. I want to know if Dallas and Roarke will either have a baby or adopt (and yes, if you know Nora Roberts' stand, there will be NO Dallas-Roarke BABIES on page...but that doesn't mean she won't end the series with the hint of one). OH OH! I want to know if Dallas and Roarke ever babysit Bella. So. yeah. Totally have to read the series.

I started The Rook last night -- made myself close the book. Still reading Queen of the Tearling while sweating it out on the elliptical.

Just squeezing under the line for September:

By Divine Right (prequel short story for The Shock of Night)
Read this after I'd read the first full length book. I think if I had read this first, I'm not sure I would have read the first book. Mostly because of how this short story ends. Still, it's a good read. There is complex world building crunched down into something manageable without feeling like any background was left out.

Vertigo Essentials: The Sandman (can't find the right work for this...maybe it's not there yet.)
This is the first issue of Sandman followed by ads for a bunch of other graphic novel collections. The story, c'mon! It's Gaiman. It's classic. The problem I have is with the Kindle format. Each page requires a double tap to embiggen each cell. Meh.

Queen of the Tearling
Grr. I HAD a review of this last night. No idea why the interwebs decided to eat it. Maybe it's still on my iPad waiting to be saved. It was late; and I was falling asleep. Heh. Short version of my review: I have questions. Lots of QUESTIONS. I need to know more about The Crossing and Tearling and why there's a weird mix of modern and medieval.

Started the last quarter off right! Five books in 15 days.

• Heartsick - Good. Worth continuing the series
  
• The Rook - Great. I'm hoping there might be another book.
  
• Parable of the Sower - Eh. I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to like this more than I did. I have the second book.
  
• Invasion of the Tearling - Good. I don't think it was as good as the first.
  
• Swan Song - Good. Dark. Grim. Mad Max meets The Stand.

I enjoyed Heartsick as well, and Sweetheart. Haven't read the others yet, so don't know if the whole series holds up.

>38 .Monkey.: I have a tiny obsession with female serial killers. I have no idea why...maybe because they are rare? What was interesting about Heartsick is that Gretchen barely has any "live" page time; but she completely dominates the book. I think I was expecting her to be a more active part of the entire book...rather than terrible flashbacks.

After Swan Song, I had to read something a lot fluffier. I think if I had realized that Swan Song was nearly 900 pages of grim death, dying, and torture -- I would have broken up the reading a little bit. Still, I went straight for romance because it is fast, fluffy, and entertains like reality TV (mostly background noise with little substance).

• Wait for Me - Good. Suffers from coincidence fairies; but the plot is really one huge if/then/else statement.
  
• Hold on to Me - Good. The follow up to Wait for Me. Different premise, same plot structure (if/then/else).

This marks the halfway point in my reading challenge. I do not see myself reading another 52 books, but I will enjoy what I read (I hope)!

Two more books:

Last Words
Great start. Rough middle. Kinda meh half-ending. Koryta has a way of keeping me reading; but I almost resent the need to know what will happen in the book. That said, I now have to read the next Markus Novak book. *grumble*

Where Serpents Lie
Terrible read.

1. I don't like obfuscation for the sake of obfuscation.
2. The main character is about one binge short of needing AA while being fitted for a straight jacket.
3. The author was way too squeamish about "follow through" (though I'm extremely thankful) considering the topic.
4. Melinda isn't punished. I call shenanigans on that. She gets away because he loved her? He caused her pain? He done her wrong? Bulls---.
5. The only character I cared about was the puppy.

Rules for a Lady ***
Fast read. The main character is a little bit of a brat. There isn't a ton of plot here, but it was a pleasant read. Perfect palette cleanser after a couple dark & depressing books.

A Test of Wills ****
Slower than I prefer in a mystery, but well written. I sort of had an idea of who did it; though, I missed the twist. I think I expected more psychological torment of the part of Rutledge...but it is the first of a series.

Ryan's Return **
This was not a terrible book, but it wasn't really a "good" book either. To start, there's not much likable about the hero, Ryan. Second, there's not much to like about his brother, Andrew. Third, there's really not much to like about their father, Jones. Also, this has a ripped from Empire Falls feel to it. Not the whole story, but the setting. Then there's the ghost. And the overblown emotions. At least this was a freebie.

Bliss ***
I didn't realize this was a middle grade reader when I downloaded it; but it is cute. I think I forget most middle grade books are full of overly exaggerated emotion (just like middle grade kids high on their first flush of puberty hormone). This is the first of a trilogy about a family with magical baking abilities...and their magical recipe book.

Those Who Wish Me Dead ****
This is the 3rd or 4th Koryta book I have read. All are well written and good reads; but they lacked something: characters I could care about or mysteries that sucked me in or a plot that kept me reading. While this wasn't really any different, I did find myself horrified by the villains in this book. The plot twist was well played, as well.

Beauty and the Beast **
Cheesy and overwrought with tweeny emo. Amazon says it's young adult, but it's more like middle grade. The world building is fluid at best. This reminds me of someone having read the classic story, condensing it, and then trying to retell it from memory. Not terrible; but not really good either.

Sleeping Beauty **
Starts off rubbing me the wrong way, and never really stops. The first chapter (prologue?) could have been edited out entirely. The entire book blathers on about how strong the queen will need to be to fight her enemy while one sentence later she is delicate and needs a man's protection and strength.

Amazon says it's young adult, but it's more like middle grade. The world building is weak and lives in a tiny vacuum. Overall not terrible, but not good (and not recommended at all).

I'm sort of blowing through books all of a sudden because I don't want to garden the rest of the year -- the rain is really been a pain in my tuchus. Also, the sewing I had planned has fallen to the wayside. I may have to rethink my handmade gift ideas for my family this year.

You may notice that suddenly, I have no reading brakes (see >5 lesmel:). That's because I was reading that STUPID @()#*$(&%&$# Seveneves. Ok. Ok. It's not stupid. It just isn't my style of science fiction/speculative fiction. I'm not interested in a thesis on geology, astrophysics, aeronautics, etc. Every stinkin' page has some level of science I did not want to read about. If I pay attention to the science, I don't pay attention to the story. And there's not really an easy way to ignore the science since it was on every. single. page.

In retaliation, I loaded up on graphic novels and very short fiction. The other read that stands out as hideous The Night Bookmobile. Niffenegger. Pft. I'm DONE with her. At least with Picoult, I KNOW her books are going to rip my heart out. Niffenegger...well, she just ruins the entire reading experience for me.

Now, I'm reading Career of Evil and have to make myself put it down.

I might make my goal for the year. I'm trying not to lean too heavily on graphic novels, children's, or YA. Still, all of those genres are justified because it's what I have on hand.

I'm currently reading The Brendan Voyage. Should be an interesting read...A) I don't like boats/ships because B) I don't like open water. So what is the book about? A trans-atlantic trip in a leather boat that recreates the sailing "adventure" of a 6th century Irish monk.

>45 lesmel: I don't mind boats/ships, but I greatly mind open water. But for me, that means books are how I can "experience" it without issue, so I certainly don't shy away from ones dealing with it. Actually I bought a huge book on the history of submarines, which I've yet to read but that's just laziness, because they pretty much terrify me. Being closed in a tin can under water with no way to escape?! Stuff of nightmares!! Lmao. But that's why I was interested in the book (and it was on massive sale, of course), a way to investigate them with no worries, lol. I'm quite curious about this adventurous monk's sailing now! :P

>46 .Monkey.: The recreation trip was actually done in 1978. I think there's a documentary on it, as well. I'm with you about submarines. I used to be terrified of flying. No. That's not really accurate. I could fly but I was always agitated. Then I traveled for my work for 4.5 yrs and that semi-phobia disappeared. I figure I could get over my fear of open water the same way. Maybe.

I've been flying since I was an infant, no issues there. Except over oceans, lmao, I just try not to think about that. xD In Cancun when I was a kid we went in a little sub sightseeing tour thing, it only stayed right at the top so mostly I could see the water lapping at the very top of the windows, and was far more focused on that than the aquatic life we were meant to be watching. I honestly don't know if I could have kept my composure if it'd been down any lower! Hahaha.

>48 .Monkey.: The open water thing developed as an adult. Although, you would think after nearly drowning as a teen at a waterpark I would be terrified of pools and not oceans/lakes; but it really has nothing to do with water and all about the inability to save myself if a boat/ship sank.

Flying...well, I can remember one time flying as a child where I almost completely flipped out because of the pressure change in my ears making me nearly deaf. I went to sleep hearing just fine and woke up nearly unable to hear. Scared me half to death. Flying has never been enjoyable because of my ears and sinuses. I suffer with the slightest of pressure changes.

Yeah I don't get why but some flights are better than others. There's been times I was in serious pain from it and others I barely notice it.

I have a drowning fear, my one real phobia, so yeah open water where you could be completely stranded in absolutely nothing is like, my worst nightmare! xP

Finishing up for the year...

Lindbergh, The Tale of a Flying Mouse ****
Max the Brave ****
The Brendan Voyage ***
Granite ****
My Heart Belongs to You **
Unhinged **
The Summer of Winters ***

Ha! I squeaked in under the wire for my 2015 goal with:

Confessions of a Gourmand, or How to Cook a Dragon
Devil's Kiss
Wicked in Your Arms

Now for the year in review!

The following came from http://bit.ly/1k5iz3q

Total books read: 104
Total pages read: 30582
Shortest book (in pages): 30
Longest book: 867
Average length: 294

It feels like my avg reading length is shorter than normal, but I ran the numbers. Over the last 5 yrs, the length hasn't varied too much.

..Yr......Len.....Bks...Avg
2015 | 30582 | 104 | 294
2014 | 71764 | 246 | 292
2013 | 48662 | 154 | 316
2012 | 54624 | 160 | 341
2011 | 52190 | 157 | 332

I did realize something just now. I only recorded 97 books for 2010. That can't be right. Although, maybe.

Best of 2015
Someone is Watching
That's it. One. Single. Book. That's all I gave 5-stars to. My review: Great read. Definitely an homage to Hitchcock's Rear Window. I will say the book runs a little slow, but I think it is purposeful pacing rather than needless dragging. I am thrilled to see this is going to be part of a series.
**This was an advanced reader copy won through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.**

Worst of 2015
Sweet Dreams by Aaron Patterson
I can't believe I am actually breaking my ratings guidelines to give this a one-star review; but this book is hideous. It is a terrible mash-up of probably 10 or more existing stories (including a poorly executed Star Wars line that completely jumps the shark).

Longest considered of 2015
Normal by Graeme Cameron
Oddly compelling story narrated by a serial killer. Basically, the book covers the last three months of what had been a tidy, quiet, murderous life. At the end, I am not sure if I was cheering for the serial killer or his victims. Maybe both...and that is disturbing.

I can say, even now, I will be laying in bed and suddenly will think about this book. I gave this a 3-star rating. Maybe it deserves a 4-star since I thought about the book more than half the year. *shudders*