16. China Underground, by Zachary Mexico
⋆⋆⋆⋆/5 — Essays. Superb.

17. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, by R.L. LaFevers
⋆⋆⋆/5 — Middle reader HF, decent. Might read the sequels.

18. The Visconti House, by Elizabeth Edgar
⋆⋆/5 — Middle reader, disappointing.

19. You Were Wrong, by Matthew Sharpe
⋆⋆⋆/5 — Okay, to be really honest, I probably wouldn’t have finished this if I hadn’t loved Matthew Sharpe’s other books. This was not as good.

20. The Water Mirror, by Kai Meyer, translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford
I don’t remember this at all, except that it was set in Venice and had vicious mermaids in it. Middle/YA.

21. Prisoners in the palace: how Victoria became queen with the help of her maid, a reporter, and a scoundrel: a novel of intrigue and romance, by Michaela MacColl
I don’t remember this very well, either. It was kind of annoying, though not the worst young Queen Victoria book I’ve read. Of course, not the best, either. YA HF.

22. City of Fallen Angels, by Cassandra Clare
⋆⋆⋆⋆/5 — Squee! Actually I liked this less than her previous novels, but it was still really good and I still really want to read the upcoming ones. YA fantasy.

23. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris, by R.L. LaFevers
Apparently I did read one of the sequels. I do remember a bit of it, but as it took place in Egypt, rather than one of my HF locales of choice (unlike the first one, set in London), I didn’t like it as well. So far below my reading level I didn’t form much of an opinion. Middle reader HF.

24. The Secret Lives of Dresses, by Erin McKean
⋆⋆/5 — The only thing I liked were the secret, vintage life stories, and those were very brief and limited. Without them, this would’ve been a very typical inspirational/romance book in which the somewhat sad female main character improbably meets and falls in love with a fantastic new man, who fully returns her affections, in the space of a week. In other words, I didn’t really enjoy it, especially considering what high hopes I had.

25. The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine, by April Lurie
⋆⋆/5 — I read this because it had a cool cover and an interesting title, but the book itself was pretty blah. Might appeal to adolescent boys, though. YA.

26. After the Quake: Stories, by Haruki Murakami
⋆⋆⋆/5 — I liked this (some stories more than others). I totally understand now what people mean when they say Murakami writes books for hipsters.

27. The Imperfectionists, by Tom Rachman
⋆⋆⋆/5 — The weirdest structure I’ve encountered in a long time, this didn’t really read like a novel, and I was sad that many of the characters who were featured in earlier chapters never reappeared. It felt kind of like interconnected stories that weren’t all resolved, but I guess the novel in its entirety did wind up resolved. Mostly. Ish. Kind of. It was fun reading, though.

28. Cloaked in Red, by Vivian Vande Velde
⋆/5 — I don’t think I finished this because it was so juvenile and bad. “Reinterpretations” of Little Red Riding Hood, but such that a nine-year-old might write. YA.

29. Bike snob: systematically and mercilessly realigning the world of cycling, by Bike Snob NYC
⋆⋆⋆⋆/5 — I doubt many non-bike-riders will read or enjoy this, but I thought it was hilarously funny, full of snark, much like BSNYC’s blog is. (I’ll admit I don’t read his blog that often because he sometimes gets too tedious on there.) I actually laughed out loud numerous times reading this, and I almost never do that. Like, I cannot remember the last book that caused me to do that.
I had my mom, who I was visiting at the time, read the section on how cars are trying to kill cyclists (bad paraphrase there), and she liked it but thought he was a bit too sarcastic. Still, I think that’s a section that all automobile drivers should read. Actually, I think most people who have any exposure at all to bikes would benefit from, even if not enjoy, this book.

30. Ash, by Malinda Lo
I’d rate it somewhere between a two and a three. A very, very loose, and quite female-empowered, interpretation of the Cinderella story. YA.

31. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Green
⋆⋆⋆/5 — This is one of those books that I’ve read several times. I don’t really like it that much (though I always forget that in between readings), but every so often, something will happen to trigger I-want-to-read-that-again syndrome. I didn’t actually remember it at all this time, which was kind of nice, but on the other hand, it also meant that I was kind of disappointed by it, and especially by the rather unsatisfying ending. This is the one instance I can think of where I would’ve appreciated an epilogue. Middle reader HF.

That’s where I’m at right now. Approximately.

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So. As an attempt to keep track of what I’ve read, and, to some degree, what I’d like to read, this blog has, ultimately, utterly failed. I’m thinking about migrating over to Goodreads or one of the like. God knows I’m about as good at social networking as my grandmother (who is unsure of how to turn on the computer), but I think having more of a preset structure might be good for me. Once I figure that out and set it up, I’ll post a link, just in case anyone still/ever looks here.

Comments: This is the first book I remember reading that’s set in the 1920s. It was okay. Better than I thought it’d be, though I wasn’t expecting much — because of the cover flap, the book’s appearance, and the fact that I don’t really read this era. Also it’s realistic fiction, with no magic of any kind involved, and I don’t usually do that with YA.

But it was okay. I might read the sequel when it comes out. But I’m not dying for it or anything.

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Details: Hardcover, pub. Delacorte Press, 2010. 421 p.

Comments: Also okay. A little bit clockpunk, but I think that was unintentional. I probably would’ve liked it more if I hadn’t been expecting/hoping for that.

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Details: Hardcover, pub. Scholastic, 2010. 391 p.

Comments: Okay, but a little rushed/overconvenient/inadequately explained at the end. But I guess time travel is like that. Still not a favorite.

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Details: Hardcover, pub. Aladdin, 2010. 313 p.

Comments: Oh this was awful. Yes, the fact that I don’t like any of the things in the title (only the subtitle: One Woman’s Adventures in Vintage Clothing) should’ve tipped me off, but honestly, even if Houtte’s tastes weren’t entirely different from mine, this is just a bad book. It’s more of a memoir in vignettes than anything else, and while there were a few sections that I tolerated or even kind of liked, for the most part it was just, ‘I can’t believe you would ever do this. Or write about it with such pride.’

I hated it, from the beginning, and I came so close to putting it down for good so many times. I only didn’t because I hate not finishing things. But this, I shouldn’t have.

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Details: Hardcover, pub. William Morrow, 2005. 243 p.

Comments: I’ll admit I did not have the highest expectations for these. (Stephenie Meyer cover blurbs do not encourage me. Actually, none of the authors who had cover blurbs encouraged me.) I really only read them because I liked Clockwork Angel, Clare’s other, kind-of related, book, so much.

And she can write. I don’t typically like urban/modern magic stuff, but while this has vampires and werewolves and the typical fae stuff, it’s not at the forefront. And it’s somehow different. And really, really good. I don’t remember the exact dates that I read these, but they were really close together, all three books are huge, and I basically devoured them. Aside from the absolutely off-putting titles and a few other things (like a certain uncomfortable relationship that was not properly resolved until the end of the third book) I really have no complaints.

Now I’m just waiting for her next book. I don’t care what it’s about or when it’s set. Pretty sure it’ll be good any way.

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Details: Hardcover, pub. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009. 541 p.

Comments: See City of Glass

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Details: Hardcover, pub. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2008. 453 p.

Comments: See City of Glass

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Details: Hardcover, pub. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007. 485 p.

Comments: I barely remember this now, but I do remember thinking that the protagonist’s technique would so work. Ludicrous as it at times was, the book’s very realistic. Kinda sad.

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Details: Paperback, pub. Black Cat, 2009. 322. p.