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2012 Individual Challenges
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Caleb's 2012 Reading Challenges
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New review up. This time it's for The Whitechapel Gambit.Not bad at all. Check it out: http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/10/08/the-whitechapel-gambit-by-marcin-wrona/
OK - finished by Classics challenge with the classic vampire novella, Carmilla as a finale.The challenge itself wasn't too huge with only 6 classics as an aim, but the challenge is mainly there to get me reading some classic works in the year.
My latest review is up. This one starts during the second world war, but continues into post-war Palestine. A drama and a romance.Have a read: http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/10/14/pegasus-falling-by-william-e-thomas/
Caleb wrote: "OK - finished by Classics challenge with the classic vampire novella, Carmilla as a finale.The challenge itself wasn't too huge with only 6 classics as an aim, but the challenge is mainly there t..."
It's always nice to finish a challenge though. Congratulations.
Caleb wrote: "OK - finished by Classics challenge with the classic vampire novella, Carmilla as a finale.The challenge itself wasn't too huge with only 6 classics as an aim, but the challenge is mainly there t..."
Congrats!!
I haven't finished any challenges.
Loosheesh wrote: "...The GR challenge widget is now saying I'm 7 books behind and I can't seem to work up the energy to care. I'm very busy right now, due to get even busier in the upcoming weeks and I've fallen in a reading slump :("Yeah - that challenge says I'm 7 books behind now as well. I don't think I'm going to make much (if any) ground on my GR challenge. If I can keep myself to less than 10 books behind by the end of the year I'll be happy.
Loosheesh wrote: "The GR challenge widget is now saying I'm 7 books behind and I can't seem to work up the energy to care. I'm very busy right now, due to get even busier in the upcoming weeks and I've fallen in a reading slump :( "I'm sorry you're in a reading slump. :-( But life gets busy at times.
Been falling behind on my reviews. Here's the review for Gunwitch: A Tale Of The King's Coven, which I read in early October.Review
Latest review up. This time for the rather marvellous Martuk... the Holy. Highly recommended.Review here: http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/11/06/martuk-the-holy-by-jonathan-winn/
OK! Finished another challenge. This time it's my genre challenge.Looks like I might finish all my challenges except the page count challenge. Not too bad.
Caleb wrote: "Latest review up. This time for the rather marvellous Martuk... the Holy. Highly recommended.Review here: http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/11..."
Did you get that rec I sent you?
Caleb wrote: "OK! Finished another challenge. This time it's my genre challenge.Looks like I might finish all my challenges except the page count challenge. Not too bad."
Woohoo! Page count doesn't matter anyway as a page can vary so much in length.
MrsJoseph wrote: Did you get that rec I sent you? I've got it. Not many people actually give me recommendations so it wasn't hard to find. I usually have an aversion to Ann Rice, but I've left it on my recommendation list.
The story does seem very similar. I wonder if Jonathan Winn had read this novel before he wrote the Martuk novel.
Caleb wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: Did you get that rec I sent you? I've got it. Not many people actually give me recommendations so it wasn't hard to find. I usually have an aversion to Ann Rice, but I've left it..."
I have the same aversion, lol. But it's decent...a lot better than I expected. With the exception of her turns of phrase...you can almost forget she wrote it.
(I have a major issue with her sexualization of children so I avoid a crapload of her work)
I don't know much about the sexualisation of children in her work. It's more that I get the feeling that everything is sexualised in her work.It's probably an unfair criticism given that I haven't read any of her books. But there's just a vibe I get from discussions on her work.
Is the writing itself actually good?
Caleb wrote: "I don't know much about the sexualisation of children in her work. It's more that I get the feeling that everything is sexualised in her work.It's probably an unfair criticism given that I haven'..."
TBH, it's been years since I've read anything but Servant... from what I remember it was decent. Not the best writing around but she tells an interesting story.
I read the entire Vampire Chronicles with some exceptions: The Vampire Armand (at the beginning) shows a consensual sexual relationship between an adult vampire and a host of young boys he gets from the streets. I had a real problem with their ages but the book portrays the adult as a hero. DNF
There's some book she wrote about young male choir singers but when I started it I found out it dealt with Castratos. A rather ugly practice so DNF.
When you add that to the really young girl vampire in the Vampire Chronicles...I was done. Way past my boundary points.
But you're right. She does sexualise everything. She seems to fetishize homosexual men (especially those who have a tendency to dress in 18th century fashion) and young children... but that's just my opinion.
One of the reasons I like this book more than the others is her lack of a (major) sexual focus. There is some sexualisation but no where near the amount she normally has.
Interesting. I'll keep it in mind. It may be my one and only Ann Rice experience.
So behind on my reviews. Here's the latest review. Unfortunately, this one failed to really satisfy. But the idea was great.Check out the review: HERE
Another review up on my site. This time for The Puppet Maker's Bones. Really enjoyed this book. Take a look at the review.http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/12/16/the-puppet-makers-bones-by-alisa-tangredi/
That does look good...but scary!
Actually - if you don't like scary you'll be pleasantly surprised as it doesn't really register on the fear meter (or at least it didn't for me).
Caleb wrote: "Actually - if you don't like scary you'll be pleasantly surprised as it doesn't really register on the fear meter (or at least it didn't for me)."So, just to let you know how chicken little I am...
...I can't watch Fringe...or Supernatural.
But I'm loving Sherlock! I hope the BBC picks it up for a 3rd season!
I had issues with Sherlock. I only watched one episode, but it seemed like an extended iPhone commercial to me. Maybe it was just the iPhone episode or something.I know my parents watch it.
Caleb wrote: "I had issues with Sherlock. I only watched one episode, but it seemed like an extended iPhone commercial to me. Maybe it was just the iPhone episode or something.I know my parents watch it."
A Study in Pink.
It made sense since the story kind revolved around that phone. But then the phone showed up again in episode 3...so maybe Apple was trying to break into the UK market. It was 3? years ago.
Posted a new review. You'll be calling me Captain Grim after reading this review.MrsJ - I think you needn't go further than the review. This novella is definitely not for you. ;)
The book is The Speed of Winter.
The review is here: http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/12/23/the-speed-of-winter-by-b-morris-allen/
Finished another challenge! This time my series challenge. This one wasn't a massive challenge, but I seem to have waited until the last possible moment to complete it.3 books read from a series I had started before this year and one complete series.
For the complete series, I chose the trilogy Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn. There is a fourth book and a prequel, but the trilogy is a complete story.
Anyway - I definitely won't meet my page count challenge, but I'm only a couple written reviews away from the only other remaining challenge, so I look in reasonable shape.
Another review up. This time for an anthology of dark tales by Robert Dunbar: Martyrs & MonstersI enjoyed this overall as the writing itself elevated the stories that I enjoyed and lessened the disappointment of stories that didn't quite thrill me. Review here: http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2012/12/31/martyrs-monsters-by-robert-dunbar/
MobileRead Book Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Martyrs and Monsters (other topics)The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
Year of Wonders (other topics)
Year of Wonders (other topics)
Year of Wonders (other topics)
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Science Fiction thriller with a whole pile of conspiracy thrown in! Yay!
Season Of The Harvest
Check out my review: Here