Numbers 21, 22 and 40

Firstly, Number 21: Put up a shelf in my new house is DONE!! Hooray! I didn't do it personally, husband did the hard graft. My dragons have gone on the shelf and out of their various boxes for the first time in 3 years :)

Number 22: 101 Books: Book number 18 was of course Snyder's Storm Glass, which did pick up considerably and turned into a very enjoyable book. In places it was predictable, but still a good read. Book 19 is the sequel Sea Glass, which I've not got very far in but it certainly sounds to be a decent sequel.

Finally, number 40: Send a Surprise Gift. I've decided who I'm sending it to, but who could be possibly be? OooooOOOoooOOooo, it's a surprise :)

Number 22, 90 and 100

Not much to update on, really.

Completed another book for Number 22: Outside In by Maria V Snyder. Sequel to Inside Out, I don't consider either to be as strong as the Magic Study series. Outside In especially ended rather weakly and the plot as a whole dragged its heels a little.

Experiencing the same feelings with Storm Glass, Snyder's other series, the Glass Series. Following on from the Magic Study Series, I kind of wish I'd read it sooner after Magic Study, I've half forgotten what happened. Preferring Storm Glass to Outside In, it's more gripping where the danger and twists happen, but for a long time I was wondering if there was going to be enough for a whole novel let alone three. Slowly but surely though, it's getting there, book number 18.

Number 90: Learn to Sing... snark! Talk about jumping in at the deep end! My Evanesence book came, trying to imitate Amy Lee isn't exactly beginner material, but I love their music and I love love love her voice! If only we had a piano to accompany me...

Number 100: Buy Fresh Flowers Every Month. Can't remember what my second bunch is, they're very pretty though. I got two bunchs, one with little purple flowers and one that was discounted because the flowers hadn't bloomed yet. Well, the latter bunch have almost finished opening into these beautiful pink, flute shaped blooms. Very lovely :)

All Booked Up

Hehe, that was a funny play on words!

Anyway, the most intensive challenge I set myself, Number 22, I believe (you see, it's mentioned so often I can remember its number now) continues with full steam.

Worked out that today alone I spent over 5 hours reading. That's what happens when trains are held up and you're painfully punctual, I guess.

Anyway, so recently completed works:

Nation by Terry Pratchett: I don't whole heartedly enjoy Pratchett as much as the rest of my friendship group, I'll admit. I find the books quite sluggish to start, then a bit rambly in places and often too random and off the mark. Nation is set outside of Discworld with a host of new characters. Again, slow start but got more enjoyable in the middle once the main character gained a companion. Narrative flows better with more than one person. The very last chapter was pretty week and pointless, but I think I enjoyed this more than most of the Discworlds I've read.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne: At first, I rated this quite highly, but looking back there's not a great deal going for it. Knowing that the book is based in World War II Auschwitz made it more gripping than the story actually was. It was a short read, I completed it in a day (granted, a day where over five hours of it was spent reading, thank you long commutes) but it had potential to have... well, more I guess. But it would make a good read for a Year 7 class (probably not quite Primary material) so that the blanks could be filled.

I'm going to the Lake District on Friday, so have been downloading extra books as I am certain that WiFi will be hard to come by there.

So far, Book 17 will either be Outside In, Storm Glass or The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.