Books

have read

• Insurgent

  Insurgent

  Veronica Roth

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  Flew through the 2nd in this series. It was as quick a read as the first, & although the intrigue kept it interesting & fast paced, it couldn't stand alone & there was a sense of that throughout. A nod (maybe) to setting up the next one with a quickie surprise ending, but falls prey to the "middle book" syndrome.

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• Divergent

  Divergent

  Veronica Roth

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  Holy Crap! I fell asleep reading this after a few hours and picked it up as soon a I woke up the next morning... forgot to eat, and probably shoulda had a couple more glasses of water than I did. This is such an awesome book, but my eyes are too crossed to write a proper review. So happy Insurgent is only a week away!

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• The Black Hole War: My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the World Safe for Quantum Mechanics

  The Black Hole War: My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the World Safe for Quantum Mechanics

  Leonard Susskind

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  Sometimes known as the plumber-physicist, this is the story of Susskind's war with Hawking over the fundamental law of physics; the preservation of information in the universe... and how Susskind won... a feat in itself, even if his solution to the question is a bit hard to understand for those not theoretical physics geniuses.

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• When God Was A Rabbit

  When God Was A Rabbit

  Sarah Winman

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  This was such a great book, tho I did put it down for a bit, then finished it in hospital. I really loved it & there's a feel to it that brought to mind Winterson's Written On The Body & The Passion. But I want to reread it before writing a proper review so I can properly capture its elusive magical qualities. Something special.

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• The Wind-up Bird Chronicle: A Novel

  The Wind-up Bird Chronicle: A Novel

  Haruki Murakami

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  So, this made it to 5 maple leaves... although I need a bit of time to try to write the review it deserves. While not derivative, it has elements that remind me of Gibson's Pattern Recognition, Gaiman's Neverwhere, & even China Mieville's The City & The City. A rich, expressive tapestry whose warp is as complex as its weft.

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• The Sorcerer: Metamorphosis

  The Sorcerer: Metamorphosis

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaaay back. I thought this 6th was published earlier than 1997, but I guess not. This is a really fun, interesting, well-written take on the sword in the stone & the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. I got to book 6 & then a long wait for Uther put my reading it on hold. Time to reboot!

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• The Fort At River's Bend

  The Fort At River's Bend

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaaay back. I thought this 5th was published earlier than 1997, but I guess not. This is a really fun, interesting, well-written take on the sword in the stone & the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. I got to book 6 & then a long wait for Uther put my reading it on hold. Time to reboot!

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• The Saxon Shore

  The Saxon Shore

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaaay back. I thought this 4th was published earlier than 1995, but I guess not. This is a really fun, interesting, well-written take on the sword in the stone & the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. I got to book 6 & then a long wait for Uther put my reading it on hold. Time to reboot!

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• The Singing Sword: The Dream of Eagles, Volume 2

  The Singing Sword: The Dream of Eagles, Volume 2

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaaay back. I thought this 2nd was published earlier than 1993, but I guess not. This is a really fun, interesting, well-written take on the sword in the stone & the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. I got to book 6 & then a long wait for Uther put my reading it on hold. Time to reboot!

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• Dream Of Eagles #3 The Eagle's Brood

  Dream Of Eagles #3 The Eagle's Brood

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaaay back. I thought this 3rd was published earlier than 1994, but I guess not. This is a really fun, interesting, well-written take on the sword in the stone & the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. I got to book 6 & then a long wait for Uther put my reading it on hold. Time to reboot!

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• The Skystone

  The Skystone

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaaay back. I thought this 1st was published earlier than 1992, but I guess not. This is a really fun, interesting, well-written take on the sword in the stone & the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. I got to book 6 & then a long wait for Uther put my reading it on hold. Time to reboot!

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• Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book Five: The Last Olympian

  Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book Five: The Last Olympian

  Rick Riordan

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  I really enjoyed this series of Y/A novels. It was fun and funny, and Riordan did a good job of capturing the charcters' age-appropriate motivations and characteristics. Overall, an easy but enjoyable read, though each story dragged in a few places.

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• Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book Four: The Battle Of The Labyrinth

  Percy Jackson And The Olympians, Book Four: The Battle Of The Labyrinth

  Rick Riordan

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  I really enjoyed this series of Y/A novels. It was fun and funny, and Riordan did a good job of capturing the charcters' age-appropriate motivations and characteristics. Overall, an easy but enjoyable read, though each story dragged in a few places.

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• Percy Jackson & The Olympians #3 - The Titan's Curse: Percy Jackson and the Olypians Book Three

  Percy Jackson & The Olympians #3 - The Titan's Curse: Percy Jackson and the Olypians Book Three

  Rick Riordan

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  I really enjoyed this series of Y/A novels. It was fun and funny, and Riordan did a good job of capturing the charcters' age-appropriate motivations and characteristics. Overall, an easy but enjoyable read, though each story dragged in a few places.

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• Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters - Book Two: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Two

  Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters - Book Two: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Two

  Rick Riordan

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  I really enjoyed this series of Y/A novels. It was fun and funny, and Riordan did a good job of capturing the charcters' age-appropriate motivations and characteristics. Overall, an easy but enjoyable read, though each story dragged in a few places.

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• Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Book One: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book One

  Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Book One: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book One

  Rick Riordan

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  I really enjoyed this series of Y/A novels. It was fun and funny, and Riordan did a good job of capturing the charcters' age-appropriate motivations and characteristics. Overall, an easy but enjoyable read, though each story dragged in a few places.

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• The Heroes Of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero

  The Heroes Of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero

  Rick Riordan

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  I enjoyed this first book in the new series - similar to Percy Jackson, but the characters and writing seem a little older, which is appropriate, since they grew through the Olympians books. I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes. Still age-appropriate, but a fun diversion.

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• Clockwork Angel

  Clockwork Angel

  Cassandra Clare

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  Great start to a new series, set in a Victorian version of her Cities series. Great characters & motivations push the plot forward in interesting ways. More importantly, like Armstrong in her Y/A novels, she writes for future adults, which makes Clare's books readable for adults. Good solid story-telling in an imaginative world.

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• Bloodfever

  Bloodfever

  Karen Marie Moning

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  Like Darkfever, this turned out to be a really enjoyable book, though I put it down for a long time when life intervened and I was in the mood for something else (my bad habit of reading too many books at once). I'm not feeling great right now so I'll leave it at that for now until I'm of a mind to write something more coherent.

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• The Gathering

  The Gathering

  Kelley Armstrong

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  A great start to another Y/A series. I can't wait for the next and as usual, Armstrong is writing for future adults and not children, which is part of what makes her Y/A storytelling so enjoyable for adults. I'm hoping the storyline will find it's way to the characters in the Darkest Powers Trilogy, but we'll see.

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• Mockingjay: The Final Book of the Hunger Games

  Mockingjay: The Final Book of the Hunger Games

  Suzanne Collins

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  I loved this whole series, though I found each book to have a very different mood in some ways, particularly this last. I was surprised the degree to which I became invested in so many of the characters, but I think it's because she writes not only human nobility but frailty so well. I can relate to their motivations thoroughly.

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• The City & The City

  The City & The City

  China Mieville

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  Just went to a signing at Bakka last week (May 26/11). He signed all my books & talked to me for about 20 min. & he's got such an incredible mind. TC&TC is one of the best books I've read in so long (w/ exception of recent Simmons binge). It's poetic & inspired & complex & it stays with you even when you're not reading it.

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• Endless Forms Most Beautiful

  Endless Forms Most Beautiful

  Sean B Carroll

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  Carroll picks up where Darwin left off, explaining clearly & concisely what Darwin couldn't: the mechanism by which genetics & DNA model & change species over time. This & Carroll's book, The Making of the Fittest, have been made into a 2 pt TV special, What Darwin Never Knew, which is also exceptional.

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• On the Origin of Species

  On the Origin of Species

  Charles Darwin

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  I'm rereading this while I've been reading Sean Carroll's two amazing books, The Making of the Fittest and Endless Forms Most Beautiful, just as reference. But even so, I'm constantly amazed at what an incredible book this was for its time & how brilliant and how brave Darwin was, despite the ridicule he had to endure.

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I'm reading

• The Original Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus

  The Original Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus

  Mary Shelley

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  Ok. So finally getting serious about the 26 in 2012 Book Worms Wanted challenge though I've already read or reread about 50 this year, but this counts as my over 100 yrs old. Course, I got the copy w/ both Mary Shelley's original draft & Percy Bysshe Shelley's notes that were included after his death, reading & comparing both.

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• Imagine: The Science of Creativity

  Imagine: The Science of Creativity

  Jonah Lehrer

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  I really love Jonah Lehrer's writing. He pulls together science & research in a meaningful way that Gladwell just never achieves & only managed to make trivial, while Lehrer gets to the deeper truths. He kinda reminds me of Jaron Lanier, without all the drugs, but a similar modern meta-philosopher maybe. If that makes sense.

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• The Number Mysteries: A Mathematical Odyssey through Everyday Life

  The Number Mysteries: A Mathematical Odyssey through Everyday Life

  Marcus du Sautoy

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  This guy is awesome. I bought this after seeing his 3-part series on TVO that dealt with numbers & math in the everyday world, & why some numbers are simply fundamental to the nature of the universe. Clear & concise, he made the mundane mysterious & magical, without clouding the view. His writing is even better!

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• Is God a Mathematician?

  Is God a Mathematician?

  Mario Livio

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  So far, so brilliant, like so many of Livio's books. Accessible, engaging, and above all, thought provoking.

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plan to read

• The Music Of The Primes: Searching to Solve the Greatest Mystery in Mathematics

  The Music Of The Primes: Searching to Solve the Greatest Mystery in Mathematics

  Marcus Du Sautoy

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  This guy is awesome. I got The Number Mysteries after seeing a three part series he did that was on TVO that dealt with math & numbers in the everyday world that was clear and concise & made the world seem even more mysterious & magical - a true feat. Can't wait to start this one.

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• The Eagle

  The Eagle

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaay back. I got thru book 6 & then a 3 yr wait for Uther put my reading it on hold & I just got my copy of Uther back from my cousin (the little ba... never mind). NEVER lend your books to people. so, I'm gonna start from the beginning b/c it's been so long since I started. Great series though!

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• The Lance Thrower: The Camulod Chronicles #8

  The Lance Thrower: The Camulod Chronicles #8

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaay back. I got thru book 6 & then a 3 yr wait for Uther put my reading it on hold & I just got my copy of Uther back from my cousin (the little ba... never mind). NEVER lend your books to people. so, I'm gonna start from the beginning b/c it's been so long since I started. Great series though!

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• Uther

  Uther

  Jack Whyte

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  OK, so here's a series that goes waaay back. I got thru book 6 & then a 3 yr wait for Uther put my reading it on hold & I just got my copy of Uther back from my cousin (the little ba... never mind). NEVER lend your books to people. so, I'm gonna start from the beginning b/c it's been so long since I started. Great series though!

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• Clockwork Prince

  Clockwork Prince

  Cassandra Clare

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  Been ordered. Not yet shipped... can't wait to get it for a holiday diversion, since I can't imagine it taking more than a day or two to read. I really enjoy Clare's writing and she writes for future adults, like Kelley Armstrong does in her Y/A novels.

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• The Heroes of Olympus, Book Two: The Son of Neptune

  The Heroes of Olympus, Book Two: The Son of Neptune

  Rick Riordan

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• The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid

  The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid

  Rick Riordan

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• The Magicians

  The Magicians

  Lev Grossman

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• Sarah's Key: A Novel

  Sarah's Key: A Novel

  Tatiana de Rosnay

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• Remarkable Creatures

  Remarkable Creatures

  Tracy Chevalier

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• Spell Bound

  Spell Bound

  Kelley Armstrong

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• Just My Type: A Book About Fonts

  Just My Type: A Book About Fonts

  Simon Garfield

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• Discoveries: Colors: The Story Of Dyes And Pigments

  Discoveries: Colors: The Story Of Dyes And Pigments

  Guineau Delamare

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• Still Missing

  Still Missing

  Chevy Stevens

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• Corduroy Mansions

  Corduroy Mansions

  Alexander Mccall Smith

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• The Importance Of Being Seven: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel

  The Importance Of Being Seven: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel

  Alexander Mccall Smith

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• Kraken

  Kraken

  China Mieville

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  Just went to a signing at Bakka last week (May 26/11)... He signed all my books and talked to me for about 20 minutes. If you start to read his books and find you're getting bogged down, keep going. It's worth it. He can start slow, but once he get's going, his writing is heaven, and his language is poetry.

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• Embassytown

  Embassytown

  China Mieville

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  Just went to a signing at Bakka last week (May 26/11)... He signed all my books and talked to me for about 20 minutes. If you start to read his books and find you're getting bogged down, keep going. It's worth it. He can start slow, but once he get's going, his writing is heaven, and his language is poetry.

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• Dark Lover: A Novel Of The Black Dagger Brotherhood

  Dark Lover: A Novel Of The Black Dagger Brotherhood

  J.r. Ward

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  'kay, started reading this & at 1st was really into it, but was reading too many things at once so it sat & sat & when I picked it up again just couldn't get into it. Maybe I've read too much good vamp that ISN'T mostly distracting sex w/ just enough story so it isn't just porn but I'm not enjoying it any more. Maybe for winter.

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• City of Fallen Angels

  City of Fallen Angels

  Cassandra Clare

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• Lover Eternal: A Novel Of The Black Dagger Brotherhood

  Lover Eternal: A Novel Of The Black Dagger Brotherhood

  J.r. Ward

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  Started the 1st but set it aside, just cause my head hasn't been in the right place, but not for lack of liking what I did read. So I still thank Darien for turning me on to the BDB, but they're for my winter TBR pile, when I need to disappear into a different world... even more than usual.

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• Blood Cross: A Jane Yellowrock Novel

  Blood Cross: A Jane Yellowrock Novel

  Faith Hunter

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• Skinwalker: A Jane Yellowrock Novel

  Skinwalker: A Jane Yellowrock Novel

  Faith Hunter

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• Host: A Rogue Mage Novel

  Host: A Rogue Mage Novel

  Faith Hunter

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