Amberfly's third year Rooting

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Amberfly's third year Rooting

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1Amberfly
Redigerat: sep 5, 2016, 2:38 pm

This challenge has really helped me guide my reading for the last two years, so I'm back again to (hopefully) read 50 books from my own shelves in 2016. I'm starting the year with more than three times that many unread books in my collection, so there's no lack of choices. Here's my ticker:


Rereads and books acquired in 2016 will not count for the challenge. I'll still list them in the thread but they will not go on the ticker. Any book that I own prior to January 1st, 2016 will count. I will also once again be using a point system to (hopefully) diversify the types of books I'm reading. Regular fiction bought in 2015 is worth one point, but books that are longer, weightier, or have been on the shelf longer are worth more. This encourages me to read books that I might otherwise pass over in favor of newer, lighter fare. My goal is, once again, 100 points, and here is my point ticker:


Here is the spreadsheet I use to keep track of which books are worth points, and how many: Click for Points!

2Amberfly
Redigerat: dec 29, 2016, 8:55 pm

ROOT books read in 2016

1. Dubliners, 6 points
2. Fever, 1 point
3. Sever, 1 point
4. The Hundred Secret Senses, 2 points
5. Women of the Silk, 2 points
6. Ilustrado, 6 points
7. Empress, 2 points
8. Aucassin and Nicolette, 1 point
9. The Waste Land and Other Poems, 6 points
10. The Morning Star, 1 point
11. Legends Volume 2, 3 points
12. Legends Volume 3, 3 points
13. Kalevala, 5 points
14. The Loved One, 2 points
15. Blue Jade from the Morning Star, 3 points
16. Cycle of the Werewolf, 2 points
17. The Sorrows of Young Werther, 4 points
18. The Great Novels and Short Stories of Somerset Maugham, 4 points
19. The Ocean at the End of the Lane, 1 point
20. Edge of Tomorrow, 4 points
21. Acorna's Quest, 1 point
22. Acorna's People, 2 points
23. This Side of Paradise, 2 points
24. The Tombs of Atuan, 1 point
25. Lolita, 3 points
26. Dream of the Red Chamber, 2 points
27. The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities, 1 point
28. Poems from the Greek Anthology, 2 points
29. House Made of Dawn, 4 points
30. Japanese Tales, 1 point
31. Stories and Stone, no points awarded
32. Skybowl, 2 points
33. The Screwtape Letters, 2 points
34. The Master and Margarita, 3 points
35. Howards End, 6 points
36. We, 1 point
37. Bon Voyage Mr. President, 1 point
38. The Many-Colored Land, 5 points
39. Wyrms, 2 points
40. Agent of Byzantium, no points awarded
41. The Gunslinger, 3 points
42. The Blithedale Romance, 4 points
43. Robinson Crusoe, 3 points
44. Green Tea and Other Ghost Stories, 3 points
45. Idylls of the Queen, 4 points
46. The Romance of Tristan and Iseult, 3 points
47. Oriental Tales, 1 point
48. Assassin's Apprentice, 1 point
49. A Companion to Wolves, 2 points
50 Isle of the Dead, 1 point

3Amberfly
Redigerat: dec 29, 2016, 3:25 pm

Non-ROOT books read in 2016
(re-reads and new arrivals)

1. Silver Bullet, new arrival
2. Wind Raker, new arrival
3. Hand of Isis, re-read
4. Black Ships, re-read
5. Stealing Fire, re-read
6. The Ravens of Falkenau, re-read
7. Lost Things, re-read
8. Steel Blues, re-read
9. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, new arrival
10. Alabaster: Pale Horse, new arrival
11. The Killing Moon, new arrival
12. The Shadowed Sun, new arrival
13. Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World, new arrival
14. The Broken Kingdoms, new arrival
15. The Kingdom of Gods, new arrival
16. When Beaver Was Very Great, new arrival
17. The Long Earth, new arrival
18. Flowers for Algernon, new arrival
19. The Long War, new arrival
20. Rendezvous with Rama, new arrival
21. Oath Bound, new arrival
22. Snuff, new arrival
23. Moving Pictures, new arrival
24. Peter & Max: A Fables Novel, re-read

Graphic novels read in 2016
Listed by series, not by individual volume numbers. A (*) indicates a series I'm actively reading. I'm new to the medium and still figuring out what I like, so if you have recommendations, please share them!

Sandman trade paperbacks v.1-10
Sandman: Endless Nights
Sandman: The Dream Hunters (both versions)
Sandman: Overture
Cardcaptor Sakura v.1-12 (full series)
Soul Eater v.1-25 (full series)
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle v.1-28 (full series)
Tsubasa World Chronicle v.1-3 (full series)
xxxHolic v.1-16
Magic Knight Rayearth v.1-6 (full series)
*Bleach v.1-68
Rurouni Kenshin v.1-28 (full series)
The Good Neighbors v.1-3 (full series)
Inuyasha v.1-20
Goong: The Royal Palace v.1-18 (full series)
Bride of the Water God v.1-3
Bayou v.1
Chobits v.1-8 (full series)
Ooku: The Inner Chambers v.1-10 (full series)
Fables trade paperbacks v.1-22 (full series)
Planetes omnibus v.1-2 (full series)
Invader Zim v.1
*Princess Jellyfish v.1-3
*Gunnerkrigg Court v. 1-5
From Far Away v. 1-14 (full series)
Flight v. 1-6, v. 8
*The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths v.1
*Fushigi Yugi v. 1-8
Angelic Layer v. 1-5 (full series)
*Tegami Bachi v. 1-10
The Encyclopedia of Early Earth
Zot
The Battle of Blood and Ink
*Puella Magi Madoka Magica v. 1-2
*Chi's Sweet Home v. 1-6
Pretear v. 1-4 (full series)
Psyren v.1

4rabbitprincess
dec 23, 2015, 6:20 pm

Welcome back and good luck! Looking forward to following your 2016 ROOT reading!

5readingtangent
dec 23, 2015, 8:56 pm

Regular fiction bought in 2015 is worth one point, but books that are longer, weightier, or have been on the shelf longer are worth more. This encourages me to read books that I might otherwise pass over in favor of newer, lighter fare.

I really like this idea :). Good luck with your challenge!

6Amberfly
dec 23, 2015, 10:43 pm

>4 rabbitprincess: Thanks! I'm eager to get started!

>5 readingtangent: Thanks! I borrowed the idea from another LTer and modified it for my own use, but it was two years ago and I've forgotten who it was. I've found it quite helpful, really.

7connie53
dec 24, 2015, 2:56 am

Good luck, Amberfly! Glad to see you back.

8cyderry
dec 24, 2015, 9:11 pm

So glad that you are with us!

9Tess_W
dec 25, 2015, 7:38 am

Happy rooting!

10Amberfly
dec 26, 2015, 8:45 pm

Thanks, guys! Can't wait to get started!

11avanders
dec 26, 2015, 9:49 pm

Welcome back and happy rooting!

12lkernagh
dec 31, 2015, 9:56 pm

Good luck with your ROOT reading!

13connie53
jan 1, 2016, 3:07 am

14Tess_W
jan 1, 2016, 5:35 am

15Amberfly
jan 1, 2016, 11:49 am

Thanks for the welcome, avanders and Ikernagh! And happy new year to you as well, connie and tess_schoolmarm!

I'm ready to get this challenge rolling with my first Root of the year, Dubliners by James Joyce. I started it a few days ago and am a little short of the halfway point now. Hoping to finish it by the end of the weekend.

16MissWatson
jan 4, 2016, 5:59 am

Happy New Year and I hope you enjoy your first ROOT!

17Amberfly
jan 5, 2016, 7:40 pm

>16 MissWatson: Happy new year to you as well!

I finished my first Root, Dubliners, last night. I bought this one for a college class back in 2013 but didn't read it at the time. Not through negligence, though--circumstances conspired so that a different instructor took over the class after the second week, who then changed the whole book list after I'd already bought my copies. Occupied with the new assigned reading for the course, this one was put on the TBR pile until the time was right. I'm glad I finally got around to it--it was definitely an interesting experience.

I started a much lighter and more recent Root as well, Fever. I expect to finish that one in the next day or two--it's very fast.

18Amberfly
jan 6, 2016, 7:21 pm

I just finished Fever and am moving on to Sever, the sequel and last book in the trilogy as well as a Root. I read the first volume, Wither, last year. These are newly acquired books, purchased in December, so they just barely count. I wanted something different and lighter after Dubliners, and these fit the bill just right.

19Tess_W
Redigerat: jan 7, 2016, 3:35 am

>17 Amberfly: You mentioned Joyce as in interesting experience. I tried Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and after about 50 pages ditched it.

20Amberfly
jan 7, 2016, 2:15 pm

>19 Tess_W: I can't speak for his other works, as Dubliners is the first I've read. The brief introduction mentioned that it was one of the more accessible of his works, and being short stories I could take it in small doses if necessary (and it was). I wouldn't say it was fun, but I did find some interesting statements about human nature and how well we all keep secrets from each other. And it's funny, because I usually hate it when all the characters in a book are too stubborn to tell each other important things, but in these stories that was what made them worth reading. It was a little dense but I've been through denser and lived to tell the tale.

21Amberfly
jan 11, 2016, 7:10 pm

I've finished two more Roots in the last few days, Sever and The Hundred Secret Senses. Couldn't have been more different, though I enjoyed them both. I always enjoy how fast Root reading goes in January, when I haven't had time to accumulate many non-Root books, so everything I read is counted.

22avanders
jan 12, 2016, 3:54 pm

>21 Amberfly: so true... that time when almost everything is progress ;)

23Amberfly
jan 13, 2016, 8:05 pm

Yes, the numbers just breeze past =) But The Hundred Secret Senses was acquired in 2014, so it's "real" progress and not just something I got for Christmas (like Fever and Sever were).

Another one down: Root #5, Women of the Silk, a historical novel about the women working in a Chinese silk factory in the 1920s and 1930s. Interesting read, but it felt like something was missing. Not enough depth, maybe? I'm not sure. It reminded me of some of the textbooks I read in school for multicultural studies courses--not bad, but not something I'm really engaged with. Still, it's been on the shelf since 2014, in the same batch as Secret Senses above, and I'm glad I got around to it. Seems I'm on a Chinese binge at the moment. Wonder what I can pick up next to keep it going.

24Amberfly
jan 16, 2016, 4:58 pm

Been absent a few days, messing around and trying to read another Root, Ilustrado, acquired as a textbook sometime in 2013, and then dropped by the instructor after I'd already bought it. Unfortunately, something about the book just totally fails to grip me. No enthusiasm for it makes this the first dud of the year. I'm giving it up, but I'm still counting it as a Root because at least it's leaving the house now.

25connie53
jan 17, 2016, 2:45 am

>24 Amberfly: It certainly counts if it's off the shelves.

26Amberfly
jan 17, 2016, 11:52 am

>25 connie53: Yes, I agree. It's no longer taking up space that could go to something I like better. But with Roots I like to give at least some attempt to read them right before I send them on their way. I did that with this one, though I don't always manage it.

I started another Root, Empress, and I'm making much better progress with that one and enjoying it more.

27Amberfly
jan 26, 2016, 4:18 pm

After an absence of more than a week, I've returned to report that I've finished Root#7, Empress, acquired at a used book sale in 2014. It was one of those books that's interesting enough while I'm reading it, but once I've put it down there isn't much drive to pick it up again. I liked it but didn't love it, so it'll be donated with the next batch I send off to the library.

28Amberfly
jan 27, 2016, 8:46 pm

I hadn't expected to have more Roots to report just yet, but I wound up choosing some slim poetry volumes today and yesterday and finishing both.

Root #8 Aucassin and Nicolette--Acquired in December in a beautiful slipcased hardcover with color illustrations. I admit that part of the reason I bought it was how pretty it is. But I loved reading it too, and I wish I had more like it on hand.
Root #9 The Waste Land and Other Poems--Acquired as a textbook in 2013, but it was assigned late in the semester, during term paper time, and I shamefacedly admit that I had no time to read it then. It was one of those exam seasons when your brain feels like it will liquefy from excessive use, and I just could not do it. But I'm glad I finally got around to it--there were some interesting things there to be found.

29Amberfly
jan 30, 2016, 2:15 pm

Another one down! Root #10, The Morning Star, another slim volume of poetry acquired last year at a used book fair. I love Rexroth's work and this was no exception.

I've gotten pretty far ahead in my challenge, and I seem to be on a poetry trend at the moment, so I'm going to use my momentum to tackle a doorstop-size Root from 2014, a translation of The Kalevala. Even if that is the only Root I accomplish in February, I'll still be on track with the head start I have now, and with luck it will be so fascinating that I'll tear through it in a week. Stranger things have happened.

30connie53
jan 31, 2016, 2:53 am

>29 Amberfly: You go, Amberfly. I'm not one for poetry, so I'm always in awe when people read poetry.

31rabbitprincess
jan 31, 2016, 9:11 am

Woo hoo! Excellent work! Good luck with the doorstopper!

32Amberfly
jan 31, 2016, 11:43 am

>30 connie53: Thank you! I like poetry, but it has to be the right poetry, and the right time. Months and months will go by and I feel no desire to read it, and then this happens and I go through three or four in a row. It helps that the volumes are short--none of them until Kalevala have been over 100 pages. Aucassin and Nicolette also had a lot of prose mixed into the story too, which made it go by faster.

>31 rabbitprincess: Thank you! My edition is about 670 pages. For prose I might not call that a doorstopper, but for poetry it definitely is. I have six or seven doorstop-sized Roots in my collection (though the others are all prose) and I want to get through a couple of them this year.

33readingtangent
jan 31, 2016, 1:42 pm

Wow, you're off to a great start! Nice :).

34Amberfly
jan 31, 2016, 7:50 pm

>33 readingtangent: Thank you! Yes, January is usually my best month for Roots, before I can get distracted from my goals =)

In other news, I made a Kalevala ticker, partly to track my progress and partly because I just like making tickers. It will track my page count until I finish the book, and if it works well as a visual incentive I may do it for my other doorstop Roots too. Progress has been good so far.

35connie53
feb 1, 2016, 1:51 am

I like making tickers too! I think it is an excellent idea for chunksters!

36Jackie_K
feb 1, 2016, 5:08 am

>34 Amberfly: That's what I did for War & Peace last year, and I found it helped a lot. Particularly as my copy was an ebook, so even though it told me the number of pages I had read, I didn't have the same sense of 'x amount left to go' that I would have done with a paper copy.

37Amberfly
feb 1, 2016, 12:00 pm

>35 connie53: Tickers are awesome, aren't they? I never used them before starting this group and they've been so useful.

>36 Jackie_K: Ah, I vaguely remembered seeing someone do this for a really long work last year--that's how I got the idea. It must have been you. Good to hear that it worked for you; I hope it works well for me too.

38avanders
feb 2, 2016, 6:39 pm

Wow nice job ROOTing so far this year!

>34 Amberfly: >35 connie53: >36 Jackie_K: >37 Amberfly: fun way to track those longer tomes.. :)

39Amberfly
feb 3, 2016, 11:36 pm

>38 avanders: Thanks! And yes, it is kind of fun doing the page ticker.

Progress report: I'm 1/3 of the way through Kalevala. So far it's a mixed bag--parts are interesting, but other parts I zone out and have to re-read. I get to the end of a page and suddenly realize I haven't taken in anything on it. But I'm persevering so we'll see.

40Amberfly
feb 9, 2016, 7:23 pm

Progress on the Kalevala is slow, and I needed a break from it, so I tackled another Root: Legends Volume 2: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy. For some reason the touchstone for it isn't cooperating, but the stories in this volume are by Terry Goodkind, George R.R. Martin, and Anne McCaffrey. I've never read Goodkind before and didn't care for his contribution, but the others are favorites and well worth my initial investment of $1. I love used book bargains. =)

I have Legends Vol. 3 in the Root collection as well, so I may tackle that next before I get back to Kalevala.

41avanders
feb 10, 2016, 2:57 pm

Sounds like a fun interlude! :)

42Amberfly
feb 14, 2016, 12:21 pm

>41 avanders: It has been! =)

I haven't gotten back to Kalevala yet, but instead picked up Legends Vol. 3, also a Root. I bought this one initially in 2013 because it had a Terry Pratchett story I'd never read, which was great, and the stories by Tad Williams and Ursula K. Le Guin were also enjoyable. The fourth story was by Robert Jordan, which I would have enjoyed tremendously had I not already read it in its later novel-length form. But the others more than made up for that.

I don't know where in the TBR collection I'll be going next. Kalevala is waiting, but I had some very tempting new arrivals come in the mail this week, so it may be one of those up next.

43Amberfly
feb 17, 2016, 3:29 pm

Just finished Silver Bullet by Melissa Scott and Jo Graham, which I enjoyed quite a bit. It's the third in a continuing series and I have #4 waiting, so that's probably next. Neither is a Root, having been bought last month with Christmas gift cards.

44avanders
feb 17, 2016, 4:18 pm

Mmmm Christmas gift cards :D

45Amberfly
Redigerat: feb 18, 2016, 2:22 pm

>44 avanders: They are the best, aren't they? Everyone in the family got me Amazon cards this year and it's delightful getting little packages of books every couple of weeks. Because naturally that's what most of it is spent on =)

Edit: Finished Wind Raker, same series as Silver Bullet above. Also not a Root, but I enjoyed it even more than the last one. Can't wait to read the next!

46avanders
feb 18, 2016, 6:12 pm

>45 Amberfly: they so are... it really is nice getting amazon gift cards! like, best case scenario ;)

47nancynova
feb 21, 2016, 4:07 pm

Just read your first post with the link to the spreadsheet, with extra "points" based on # of years you've had the book.

I'm *trying* to read the older ones first, but it's not always working out.

48Amberfly
feb 21, 2016, 5:59 pm

>47 nancynova: It's true, it's not always easy to read the older ones first. The points are just my extra incentive to myself to get to them, because I'm easily distracted by new (to me) books. Sometimes there's even a hidden gem in the older Roots, like the Legends books I read earlier this month. But I'm very much someone who picks books on a whim--if the current one isn't working and I'm hankering to re-read an old favorite, or if I just HAVE to read that one I picked up at the thrift store yesterday, that's what I do. I believe strongly that reading should be fun, and if it's not spontaneous enough it ceases to be fun for me. =)

49Amberfly
feb 28, 2016, 7:52 pm

A week without a post, and not much to report. I've been caught up in re-reads, though they've been going quickly. I did come to one Root-related decision, though: I'm giving up on Kalevala. I'm halfway through it and just don't have the enthusiasm to get through the remaining 300+ pages, though I might someday try again with a different translation. So it will be re-homed, and I will count it for the challenge because I gave it an honest try, and I'll move on to something else.

50rabbitprincess
feb 28, 2016, 7:56 pm

Hope your next ROOT works out better for you!

51Amberfly
feb 28, 2016, 11:41 pm

>50 rabbitprincess: Thanks, I hope so too!

52connie53
feb 29, 2016, 2:46 pm

>49 Amberfly: Of course that's a ROOT. Halfway through a book (and a chunkster too) certainly counts in my book

53Amberfly
mar 3, 2016, 12:34 am

>52 connie53: Yes, I thought it made sense to count it. I read about 300 pages of it, and that's easily the length of a whole book, so that's reason enough for me.

Still in re-reads at the moment. Having read Silver Bullet and Wind Raker above, I really wanted to read some of Jo Graham's other works because I love them, but her latest isn't out in paperback yet. So I grabbed one from my shelf to revisit and just kind of kept going from there. But I'm almost through with them for the moment, and I'm going to try and pick up a Root after this one is done.

54avanders
mar 3, 2016, 12:54 pm

>53 Amberfly: absolutely. For me, if I gave it a legitimate try and decided to get rid of it... it's a ROOT pulled! :)

55nerwende
mar 4, 2016, 1:29 pm

It's pretty cool you're tackling the Kalevala Amberfly! :) I'd be interested to hear what kind of a translation your copy is - is it a simple prose translation, or one of the various attempts to imitate the meter of the original poems?

56Amberfly
mar 4, 2016, 8:18 pm

>54 avanders: That's more or less my approach, yes =)

>55 nerwende: The translation I was using is by Keith Bosley, in the Oxford World's Classics edition. Copyright page dates it as first published in 1989. The back cover touts it as "the first to combine liveliness with accuracy in a way that reflects the richness of the original." It's in metered verse. I'm not entranced by it, but I'm approaching it as a casual reader, more interested in readability than accuracy, and my views are influenced by that. I tend to enjoy long works in verse so I was a tad disappointed I didn't connect with this one. I made it halfway through before throwing in the towel, but if I come across the work with a different translator I might try again.

57nerwende
mar 5, 2016, 6:13 am

Interesting, I would think the meter might be the one thing to affect the readability for a casual reader the most - the constant repetition can be a bit distracting even reading the original! :D I've never tried to read or compare any of the translations beyond checking out some examples and shaking my head at how seemingly impossible the task is.

58Amberfly
mar 5, 2016, 11:05 am

Yes, the repetition was one of the things that got to me, and given the nature of the translation I realized it was a feature, not a bug. =) The narrative also seemed to wander around a lot, without focus, and it was easy to miss the 2 lines of action hidden in the 20 lines of repetition. I don't envy the task of folks who translate poetry of any kind, though--to have it be readable, accurate, and also have some artistic merit of its own must be a very difficult balance to strike. The only language I read with any fluency is English, though, so I'm dependent on the translator to enjoy a lot of poetic works, especially the older epics that I love.

59Amberfly
mar 5, 2016, 2:40 pm

Finally, a Root to report! I finished The Loved One today. Strangely fascinating for a book where people are mostly nasty to each other. This one just barely counts as a Root, as I bought it just before Christmas. But hey, progress is progress.

60connie53
mar 6, 2016, 2:19 am

>59 Amberfly: Good to see you are making progress, Amberfly. I followed your link to the bookpage and I'm going to see if my brother can find the translation for me.

61Amberfly
mar 6, 2016, 11:30 am

>60 connie53: For The Loved One? Hope you enjoy it! It was a short and fast read, at least for me. I finished it in just a few hours.

I'm now reading another Root, a collection of some works by Somerset Maugham that's probably going to keep me busy for a while. But I'm enjoying it so far--the stories are fascinating, even if so far they've all ended with someone dead.

62connie53
mar 6, 2016, 12:40 pm

>61 Amberfly: Yes, for The loved one. It's translated so it must be traceable and my brother is very good in finding things online.

63Amberfly
mar 6, 2016, 11:53 pm

>62 connie53: Neat. I'd be interested to see your thoughts on it.

64Amberfly
mar 9, 2016, 10:21 pm

Finished two more Roots in the last couple of days. I'm traveling this week and had to leave the Maugham volume at home. I'm looking forward to finishing it when I get back, but it's too thick to justify the space in my suitcase. But I brought some other Roots along instead.

Blue Jade from the Morning Star was a dense academic essay on Quetzalcoatl, followed by some poetry inspired by the myths. When I bought it I didn't realize there was another text that was meant to precede it, and I'm not sure I really got much from it. I'm not well-versed in the mythology of the various South American peoples, so I was hoping to learn more from it than this. But I've got a couple of other books on the subject around, so hopefully one of them will do the job.

Cycle of the Werewolf was a fun novel/comic book by Stephen King. A bit gory but good, especially the illustrations, and a fast read; I read it in just an hour or so. I liked the structure, though I admit I figured out who the werewolf was pretty early on. I'm trying to get into graphic novels and thought this might be a place to start, but it had a lot more text than a comic. Not that I'm complaining =). I quite liked this bit of horror fluff.

65Amberfly
mar 12, 2016, 5:29 pm

Finished another book, but not a Root: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Great story, different from the fantasy novels I normally read. Can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. I might do another Root next, but I just brought home a stack of new books so I can't promise anything. ;)

66Amberfly
mar 14, 2016, 12:24 pm

Another Root down! #17, The Sorrows of Young Werther, was interesting enough, but rather gloomy given the ending. The prose of the translation I used was wonderful, though. I'm glad I read it, but I can't see myself revisiting it anytime soon.

I also started something I've been curious about for a while, though it isn't a Root. It's the Sandman series of graphic novels by Neil Gaiman. I've been curious about graphic novels for a long time, though I'd never read one before. Since Cycle of the Werewolf ended up having too much text to be the gateway that I wanted, I bought a few volumes of this one and I love it. So that might be occupying my time for a while along with all the Roots.

67Amberfly
Redigerat: mar 18, 2016, 8:19 pm

Root news! I finished the Somerset Maugham anthology I started a couple of weeks ago. This volume contained the novels The Moon and Sixpence, The Magician, and Liza of Lambeth, along with several shorter works. I practically devoured these, though The Magician surprised me. The ending in that one wouldn't be out of place in a supernatural horror novel, which I really didn't expect given the other Maugham works I've read.

I'm still happily working on Sandman, but am waiting on the next volumes--they're still in the mail. Going to try for another Root before they arrive.

Edit: It seems this is a good day for Roots. I just tore through The Ocean at the End of the Lane in a couple of hours. Admittedly, by my standards this barely qualifies as a Root. I bought it just a few days before the end of last year and didn't actually get my hands on it till after January 1st, but I did technically own it before then... Anyway, it was awesome. I only wish it had lasted me longer.

68Tess_W
mar 19, 2016, 12:31 pm

Great job on rooting! I have several Maugham's in my TBR pile.

69Amberfly
mar 19, 2016, 6:27 pm

>68 Tess_W: Thanks! Maugham is wonderful. I've only read a few (the ones in this anthology, plus Cakes and Ale), but all of them have been very good.

70Amberfly
mar 22, 2016, 11:05 am

Root #20: Edge of Tomorrow, a collection of Isaac Asimov's short fiction and nonfiction essays. I'd read some of the stories before but others were new to me, and most of the nonfiction was new. Some of it is quite outdated (the copyright date is 1985) but still a decent read. I didn't love it, though, and space is at a premium, so after three years on the shelf it's going in the donation stack. I might do another Root next but have not chosen one yet.

71Caramellunacy
mar 22, 2016, 3:05 pm

>66 Amberfly:
I remember reading The Sorrows of Young Werther for one of my college literature "Great Books" classes and being swept away by the prose of it (though I agree its gloomy ending has kept me from revisiting).

72Amberfly
mar 22, 2016, 8:29 pm

>71 Caramellunacy: The prose was wonderful. Of course I was reading an English translation and that has an effect, but it was so good that I swept through it in a couple of days. I still can't see myself revisiting it, but books like this are one of the reasons I read older literature in the first place. I took a Literature degree and never encountered Goethe, though as I look back on my curriculum I realize it was largely focused on American and British authors, without much coverage of anything else.

73Amberfly
mar 23, 2016, 9:39 pm

Root #21: Acorna's Quest, sequel to Acorna the Unicorn Girl, which I read last year. I'm surprised that I tore through this one so fast, but given that it's a McCaffrey I probably shouldn't be. That happens to me a lot with her works--I get so engaged that they're over before I realize it. This is another one that barely counts as a Root--I bought it sometime during the week between Christmas and New Year's. But I have the sequel too, and I've had that one waiting longer. It will most likely be my next Root, though there may be another book or two in between.

I also read another volume of Sandman, and I have the next one of those waiting for me as well. Yay!

74Amberfly
Redigerat: mar 24, 2016, 6:23 pm

I'm on a roll. Root #22, Acorna's People, is complete after waiting two years on the shelf (I bought it in 2014). Better than the previous volume, I think. And I thought this was a trilogy when I started it, but it seems I was mistaken--there's at least one more book that I'll be keeping an eye out for.

I'm planning to take advantage of this momentum soon by tackling another doorstop-sized Root, probably starting around April 1st. I haven't yet decided which one, though there are some likely candidates on the shelves. In the meantime I'll be tackling some more short reads, perhaps even another Root. Not sure yet.

75Amberfly
apr 1, 2016, 8:45 pm

A week without a post? I must be slipping. I haven't finished any new Roots, though I did start one today--This Side of Paradise. So far I'm going along with it but not loving it. I have finished several non-Roots, though:

Alabaster: Pale Horse, which I had high hopes for but wound up really disliking. Interesting premise, too much fragmenting of sentence structure for my taste. The internal chronology was also really strange and made it hard to follow.
The Killing Moon and The Shadowed Sun, a fantasy duology set in pseudo-Africa. It took me a while to really get into these but I ended up loving them.
Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World, a break from my usual reading. Light and enjoyable, and not being very familiar with rare books I learned some things too.

So a busy reading week, even if it didn't have much Root progress. I hope to have more to report in the next couple of days.

76Amberfly
apr 4, 2016, 1:57 pm

Alright, more progress! I made it about halfway through This Side of Paradise before giving up. I wanted to enjoy this book but just couldn't take it anymore. However it was a Root (barely--I bought it at Christmas) so it's being counted. For a change of pace, I also read The Tombs of Atuan over the weekend and really enjoyed that one. It was also a Christmas acquisition and thus a Root.

I have no idea where I'll go next in my reading. Nothing in the shelf is speaking to me right now. Knowing my past habits, though, that won't last long. It rarely does.

77Amberfly
apr 12, 2016, 11:40 pm

Long gaps between postings lately. I haven't exactly read another Root, though I did start one and decide to kick it off the TBR pile. I've owned Lolita for about two years, bought for a dollar at a thrift shop, because I was curious what all the fuss was about. I only read about 15-20 pages before concluding that I don't really care for the style it's written in, and the premise is just a wee tad too disturbing for me. It's hard for me to read a book where I'm not rooting for the protagonist, and that just isn't possible for me with this one. So it's being donated, and I get to cross it off my list!

I have been reading graphic novels this week, but I'm out of those for now, and earlier today I started Gormenghast, a recent acquisition that so far falls into the "weird but awesome" category. I have hopes for this one, though it's not a Root.

78avanders
Redigerat: apr 13, 2016, 10:21 am

>77 Amberfly: A ROOT was pulled, even if you didn't end up reading most of it ;) So congrats! And you're halfway to your goal for the year! Awesome! :)
I've heard lots of good things about Gormenghast... It's either on my shelves or wishlist, so hopefully I'll get to it someday!

79Tess_W
apr 13, 2016, 10:27 am

>77 Amberfly: I've started Lolita several times and have been bored and quit. Glad to hear it just wasn't me!

80Amberfly
apr 13, 2016, 11:26 am

>78 avanders: Yay for the halfway point! I've heard a lot about it too, and wanted to try it, but for some reason the only book I ever see in stores is Titus Awakes, the fourth and last one. Gormenghast is the second, which is better for me--I didn't want to start at the end. So far it's reminding me a lot of The Haunting of Hill House, one of my favorites, but I'm not very far into it yet.

>79 Tess_W: Same here! This happens to me sometimes with controversial books, or books that have been banned or challenged a lot. I want to read them just to see what the fuss is all about, but controversy doesn't always make for good reading!

81connie53
apr 17, 2016, 1:55 pm

I'm curious to hear what you think of Gormenghast. The series has been on my shelves for ages!

82Amberfly
apr 17, 2016, 5:28 pm

>81 connie53: So far, Gormenghast is really good, but slow. I'm only about 1/4 through it, and for a book this length (~400 pages) that's unusual for me. I find myself taking it in small doses, but I keep coming back to it, also unusual. It still reminds me of Hill House, in the descriptions of the crumbling castle inhabited by strange things. The plot is really loosely structured and drifts around a lot, and the sentences are rambling, but the imagery is awesome--the other thing I'm reminded of is a Tim Burton movie, especially the animated ones with improbably-proportioned sets and people, like Corpse Bride. It's also got some humor, but more on the "this is absurd" side of humor, not the kind that makes me laugh aloud. It's a very strange book, but I'm glad I'm reading it. I keep thinking as I go "I wonder if X in that other book was inspired by this".

83avanders
apr 20, 2016, 9:45 am

>80 Amberfly: Ooh, yes, I agree, I wouldn't want to start at the end! I think I requested the first a couple years ago and it's sitting on the shelves, somewhat patiently... ;)

84Amberfly
apr 20, 2016, 7:08 pm

>83 avanders: Yes, I'd have preferred to start with the first one too, but reading it now, it doesn't seem like one of those series that absolutely must be read in order. There are definitely references to what I assume must be the events of the first book, but not so many that I get lost in them. And ha--some of my books are very patient indeed while they await their turn. Others clamor for my attention right away. =)

85avanders
apr 21, 2016, 10:39 am

>84 Amberfly: oh that's good to know! :)
lol yes, some are rather showy ;)

86connie53
apr 23, 2016, 2:10 pm

>82 Amberfly: Thanks for the thought on Gormenghast, Amberfly! I think I've started in part one some years ago but I never finished it. I can't remember why not. But it's good to hear you like it so far.

87Amberfly
apr 25, 2016, 7:52 pm

>85 avanders: It's not the showy ones you've got to watch for, though. They move through quickly. Those patient ones can live in your bookcase for years, and they breed. I think everyone in this group can testify to that.

>86 connie53: My pleasure. I do like it so far, though I've stalled out on it temporarily. I plan to finish this one, though I don't yet know if I'll be reading the others.

I wish I had a new Root to report, but life has gotten...interesting in the last few weeks, though hopefully soon it will be resolved. The only things that have held my focus are the two graphic novel series I've been reading, and I've run out of volumes for both. I'm going to be doing a little bit of traveling later this week, so maybe I can pick up something good then.

88avanders
Redigerat: apr 26, 2016, 11:16 am

>87 Amberfly: lol very true!

Hope your "interesting" life resolves quickly!

ETA: ... that sentence was weird. But you know what I mean.. ;)

89Amberfly
apr 26, 2016, 6:09 pm

>88 avanders: lol, yes, I know what you mean. And thanks, I hope so too. =)

90Amberfly
apr 29, 2016, 1:51 am

Situation has been resolved to everyone's benefit. And I finished a Root! I bought Dream of the Red Chamber last Christmas, so it only just qualifies. It was a good read, though I had a lot of trouble keeping track of all the untranslated names and titles. I think this was the literary shock to the system I needed, not to mention being really interesting as well. I'm hoping to get back in the swing of Rooting with this. Or at least back to reading books with more words than pictures for a little while.

91Britt84
apr 29, 2016, 2:43 am

I have that one on my list as well.... The touchstone links to an abridged edition, did you do an abridged version or the complete version? I'm a bit daunted by it, since I have the complete version in a three-volume set, so it's quite a long read - has been on my shelves for two years or so...

92MissWatson
apr 29, 2016, 6:42 am

>90 Amberfly: Congrats on both fronts, RL and the ROOTing. This is one of the books I hope to read some day.

93Amberfly
apr 29, 2016, 2:44 pm

>91 Britt84: Yes, I did read an abridged edition. Only about 300 pages, very manageable. I didn't know it was abridged when I bought it, though--it's an older copy and not marked, so I didn't find out until I read the introduction. I might not have bought it had I known, but it was still a very interesting read, and I might tackle the complete one someday now I know there is one. The touchstone seems to be for my edition--Chi-Chen Wang is the translator.

>92 MissWatson: Thanks =) It was an interesting read, even in this form.

94Britt84
apr 30, 2016, 12:46 am

>93 Amberfly: I knew there were abridged versions before I bought it, so I took care to get the full version. I bought one second hand and it's a nice, hardcover set with pretty pictures.
I've decided I'll give it a go. Reading your comments about the names and titles, I found that there is a loose-leaf list of characters and family trees in my edition, so I'll be sure to keep that alongside.

It will probably slow down my ROOTs progress though - I've checked and it's a total of 1900 pages!

95Amberfly
apr 30, 2016, 11:02 am

>94 Britt84: Whoa. That's a door-stopper! I'm in awe of your determination, and your set sounds lovely! My problem with the names had more to do with nicknames and family titles--Elder Sister can refer to a number of different people depending on who is doing the talking, for instance. But the family tree would have been really useful there--I wish I'd had one on hand!

With the abridgement, I found it the same way I find many of my books: Secondhand paperback at one of those $1-per-book stores. I'd actually never heard of it before then, and figured I hadn't much to lose at that price and a lot to gain if it was good. And it was =) I don't know that I would have tackled it in the full version at that point--Asian literature is not my area of expertise, and 1900 pages is a huge commitment for a (to me) unknown quantity. But now I've read the abridged one, I might go for the full one if I can find it.

96connie53
maj 3, 2016, 2:30 am

>90 Amberfly: Good to hear RL has calmed down, Amberfly.

97Amberfly
maj 3, 2016, 7:00 pm

>96 connie53: Thanks. I'm glad too--everything is calmer and I have my focus back.

No new Roots to report yet, but I did read the last Sandman volume and The Broken Kingdoms in the last few days, sequel to The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which I read back in March. I've just started the third volume, The Kingdom of Gods, and so far, so good. All are too recently acquired to be Roots, though.

98avanders
Redigerat: maj 4, 2016, 10:04 am

>94 Britt84: wow, 1900 pages! Intense :)

>96 connie53: >97 Amberfly: I'm likewise glad to hear your life is calming down :)

99Britt84
maj 5, 2016, 3:10 pm

>95 Amberfly: >98 avanders: I've started it and so far I do find it enjoyable - but I really understand your issue with names! It really requires some effort to keep track of who's who and the relationships between them... Still, from what I've read so far (I'm about 150 pages in) I think it will be a good read; it will take time to finish though...

100Amberfly
maj 6, 2016, 12:59 pm

>98 avanders: Thanks. I'm glad it's resolved too =)

>99 Britt84: Great to hear! I'll have to be on the lookout for the full version then. With family trees and all.

101Amberfly
maj 9, 2016, 6:16 pm

I finished The Kingdom of Gods last night. I enjoyed it, though it didn't quite live up to the love I had for the first volume. Still a good read, though, and something I can see myself rereading in the future.

I started another (rather recent) Root, a steampunk anthology with an awesome title: The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities. The first few stories have been great, and I'm looking forward to the rest!

102avanders
maj 10, 2016, 10:41 am

>101 Amberfly: oh.. that's by (or edited by? compiled by?) Vandermeer, right? It's been on my "watch list" for years ;)

103Jackie_K
maj 10, 2016, 3:30 pm

>101 Amberfly: That is indeed a wonderful title!

104Amberfly
maj 10, 2016, 7:31 pm

>102 avanders: Ann and Jeff Vandermeer are the editors, and the introduction (a story in itself) is theirs too. I've read a couple of their other steampunk anthologies in the past. This one's more unified than some--all the stories are about artifacts from or events surrounding the titular Cabinet. And the list of authors has some reliable favorites in it, so it was an easy purchase decision for me.

>103 Jackie_K: Isn't it? I've been taken in by so-so books with awesome titles in the past, but this one is living up to it so far.

105avanders
maj 11, 2016, 11:56 am

>104 Amberfly: oooh cool -- it stays on my list :D

106Tess_W
maj 11, 2016, 5:25 pm

Half way to your goal and not even June yet! Congrats!

107Amberfly
maj 13, 2016, 3:17 pm

>106 Tess_W: Thanks! And I have another one to add today!

I finished the Cabinet of Curiosities today. I bought this on sale back in November and it was money well spent. The stories were surreal and a lot of fun to read, even the mildly horrifying ones, and the illustrations throughout were great as well. There is apparently another, similar collection from the same editors, about Discredited Diseases. I'll be on the lookout for that one at the used bookshop in the future.

108connie53
maj 17, 2016, 2:20 pm

Wow, half way! Congrats.

109Amberfly
maj 17, 2016, 8:06 pm

>108 connie53: Just over halfway! Thanks!

Root#28, Poems from the Greek Anthology, is complete. I usually love Rexroth's translations, but this one didn't move me the way the others have and I'm not sure why. It was good, but I didn't love it. I acquired it from a used book fair at my college campus in 2014, and in all honesty it'll probably be re-homed before too long.

I'm currently reading When Beaver Was Very Great, a collection of Ojibwe stories that I bought from a thrift shop in March. Too recent to be a Root, but an enjoyable read that I expect to finish quickly.

110Amberfly
maj 20, 2016, 2:20 pm

More Roots!

I finished When Beaver Was Very Great, a fast read that I liked but didn't love and will be re-homed. Not a Root, but a book off the shelf all the same.

After that I thought perhaps the time was at last right to read House Made of Dawn, a Root I've owned since 2013. I made it about a quarter of the way through and couldn't rouse the enthusiasm to go the rest of the way, so that's also being donated.

And finally I picked up Japanese Tales, which I acquired last year. I read most of it when I bought it, but got distracted and never read the last 50-100 pages or so. Fortunately it's the type of book that can be easily taken up again months later, and I finished it today. Unfortunately, it's another case of "liked, didn't love" and is also being donated.

After a short string of duds I'm hoping I can find something I love soon. Progress is good, but it's a lot more fun when I love everything I read.

111MissWatson
maj 21, 2016, 11:31 am

Godd luck with your next choice!

112Amberfly
maj 22, 2016, 11:52 am

>111 MissWatson: Thanks! At the moment I'm flitting from book to book, unable to settle on anything for very long. But there are over 150 unread books in my collection--there has to be something. The trick is finding it.

113connie53
maj 22, 2016, 12:30 pm

>112 Amberfly: good luck with your search! I hope your next one is a good one!

114MissWatson
maj 22, 2016, 4:45 pm

>112 Amberfly: Any luck yet?

115Amberfly
maj 22, 2016, 5:47 pm

>113 connie53: Thanks! Me too!

>114 MissWatson: No luck yet, though I have another former Root for the donate pile.

I've tried to read Stories and Stone at least three times and never made it more than 15 pages in. After this attempt I'm throwing in the towel and saying I'm never actually going to read that one. I'm counting it as a Root but not awarding myself any points for it.

116avanders
maj 23, 2016, 10:23 am

>115 Amberfly: oh no, still no luck! But you're right, you will find something! :) Good luck!

117Amberfly
maj 23, 2016, 4:34 pm

Finally, something has stuck! Current read is Skybowl, the last in a six-part series of doorstopper fantasy novels. I read most of the others last year and bought this one in December, so it just counts. Enjoying it so far, and I'm glad my little drought is over.

118avanders
maj 24, 2016, 1:33 pm

yay! glad you've found some water.. ;)

119Amberfly
maj 26, 2016, 6:44 pm

>118 avanders: Me too! Reading droughts tend to make me restless and twitchy. Not fun.

I am plugging away at Skybowl. It's a long haul, over 750 pages and I believe the longest in this series (though none of them are what I'd call short), but it's fast. If my schedule stays clear I may well finish it over the weekend.

120Amberfly
maj 27, 2016, 9:29 pm

Even faster than I thought, although it sucked up my entire day. I finished Root #32, Skybowl, today. My entire reading of this series has been a love/hate relationship, right up to the end, but I can't deny I practically devoured them. I don't know what I'll read next, but I think it will be something shorter. Books this size, though fun, are hard on the wrists.

121Amberfly
maj 28, 2016, 7:12 pm

And before I know it, Root #33 is complete! I bought The Screwtape Letters last year for a dollar, with the reasoning that I had loved the Narnia novels as a kid and people kept saying how I should try Lewis's works for adults. And I have to admit they were right--although I don't agree with everything in it, I'm glad I read this and I found it really interesting. I expected it to take longer than it did, though--I breezed right through it. Which was what I wanted, after Skybowl above.

122avanders
maj 31, 2016, 11:44 am

>119 Amberfly: no they're not.. I get a bit grouchy when I'm in one! ;p

Congrats on 2 more ROOTs pulled!
I really loved The Screwtape Letters -- at the least, it is definitely food for thought!

123Amberfly
jun 1, 2016, 3:44 pm

>122 avanders: It was that! A lot of very apt (if generalized) descriptions of how people think about spirituality. I thought it was unusually relevant for a book that age.

I'm currently picking away at another, heftier Root: The Master and Margarita, which has waited on the shelf for two years. I'm not yet sure what to make of it, but so far so good. It's going to slow me down somewhat--it's not exactly a page-turner, though that may be the translation.

124avanders
jun 3, 2016, 10:38 am

>123 Amberfly: oooooh I just love that book. It's a bit polarizing though.. hope you're in the group who enjoys it!

125Amberfly
jun 3, 2016, 7:09 pm

>124 avanders: So far, at a little over 1/4 into it, I am in the "enjoying it" group. I read Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog a couple of years ago for a class on historical horror literature, so I had an idea of what this might be like. This one feels denser but that might just be the length--Heart of a Dog was a slim little thing in comparison.

126avanders
jun 6, 2016, 12:16 pm

>125 Amberfly: yay!
Oh interesting.. I read Heart of a Dog after Master & Margarita and wasn't as in love with it... but maybe my expectations were just all wrong.. perhaps I should go back and do it again... :)

127connie53
jun 12, 2016, 4:11 am

Good to hear you found some nice books!

128Amberfly
jun 13, 2016, 3:15 pm

>126 avanders: Heart of a Dog was my first encounter with Bulgakov. I wouldn't say I fell in love with it, but when I heard that this was his masterpiece I was interested enough to pick it up. It was a good sampler, I guess.

>127 connie53: Yes, it's a relief after a string of duds! I'm unsettled when I'm not reading anything good.

I am still chipping away at Master and Margarita. It is an enjoyable and interesting book, though I think I'd get more out of it with a better knowledge of Russia at this time period. I'm sure there are cultural nuances that I'm missing. I'm about 100 pages from the end, so I'll be finishing it any time now. On the other hand, a shiny new anthology and two graphic novels came in the mail today, so those might jump up and demand immediate attention.

129connie53
jun 18, 2016, 5:21 am

And? Did you give them immediate attention?

130Amberfly
jun 18, 2016, 11:32 am

>129 connie53: Yes. I did. I am weak, and they were so tempting. =)
But I am going to finish Master soon.

131connie53
jun 18, 2016, 2:49 pm

>130 Amberfly: LOL. Well it won't harm anybody if you are weak sometimes. In fact I had a weak spell in the beginning of June and read 4 shiny new ones in a row.

132Amberfly
jun 19, 2016, 12:00 pm

>131 connie53: Lol, yes, it happens to the best of us. Summer seems to be my low point for Roots. For whatever reason, it happens like this every year. But by this time I have a little wiggle room in my goals, so it doesn't throw me too far off track.

133avanders
jun 20, 2016, 10:06 am

>128 Amberfly: that's probably a good way to describe it - a good sampler :)

>130 Amberfly: lol it's okay, it happens ;)
>131 connie53: exactly!

134Amberfly
jun 20, 2016, 1:04 pm

At last! I made a push and finished Root #34, The Master and Margarita, this morning. I never expected it to take me this long but it was absolutely worth it. My earlier impressions stand, and I have to add that the last 40 pages or so were totally brilliant, completely making up for the bits in the middle that I didn't care for so much.

As usual, I don't know where I'm going to go next. I have some graphic novels that need to go back to the library soon, but beyond that it's up in the air. I hope my next read (Root or not) is a little faster than this one, though.

135avanders
jun 21, 2016, 10:01 am

>134 Amberfly: woo hoo!
Glad you liked it so much!! :D

Good luck picking your book hangover book ;)

136Amberfly
jun 27, 2016, 2:07 pm

>135 avanders: I did! There was some really beautiful writing to be had there.

I've finished another book, though not a Root. I acquired The Long Earth in January, largely on the strength of Terry Pratchett's name. It was a slow starter, though, and I almost decided to give it up. But the plot really kickstarted about 1/3 of the way in and it got very good, fast. I'll be on the lookout for the sequels.

I have some library books that have to go back next week, and I really need to get going if I'm going to read them first, so it may be a bit before I get back to Roots. It remains to be seen. =)

137Amberfly
jun 30, 2016, 2:24 pm

Well, I read the library books and they were good, but I haven't got any more Roots to report. I did read Flowers for Algernon, but as I bought that in March it doesn't count. Fascinating but depressing. I hope my next read has a happy ending.

138Amberfly
jul 10, 2016, 5:32 pm

A week and a half without a post? I must be slipping. Since my last post I've read The Long War, sequel to The Long Earth (above). Like the previous one, it started slow and picked up partway through. Seems to be a pattern with this series. Too recently acquired to be a Root.

I also started and gave up on Rendezvous with Rama, also not a Root. First time I've had a flop with Clarke; I usually love his works. I only made it about 40 pages in, but it just wasn't working for me.

I am reading a Root now, though! Howards End, bought in 2013 as a textbook but never read. A different teacher stepped in to handle the class at the last minute and changed all the textbooks. Needless to say, I'd already bought mine. A happy accident though--now I've finally gotten around to reading it, I love it. Will probably finish it in a few days. It's a fast one, and not very long.

139Tess_W
jul 10, 2016, 8:55 pm

>138 Amberfly: I've seen the movie Howard's End, and was not impressed. However, now I think I need to read the book!

140Amberfly
jul 11, 2016, 3:11 pm

>139 Tess_W: I was not aware there was a movie, and on that comment I'll be avoiding it. But I really did enjoy the book. I went in expecting a slog and was very pleasantly surprised. I finished it this morning. Root#35, down!

I've started another book, Oath Bound, a total change of pace from Howards End. Too new to be a Root, but I've been wanting to read it for months and just got hold of it this week. After that, it's likely back to Roots.

141Amberfly
jul 22, 2016, 2:31 pm

Update time! I finished Oath Bound and thought it was a great addition to the series. I also read Snuff, a new-to-me Discworld book that I really enjoyed. Both too new to be Roots, alas. I was traveling this past week and somehow managed to acquire eight new books while only reading two. I don't know how this keeps happening to me.

I'm working on a Root now, though--We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. I bought this about a year and a half ago, probably as one of those $1 thrift shop finds I find so hard to resist. I just started it and so far, so good.

142Jackie_K
jul 22, 2016, 4:27 pm

>141 Amberfly: I bought We recently too (it was on offer in the kobo store, so I treated myself to a few books including that one for my birthday). It was a BB from a thread either here or in the Category Challenge group. I'm looking forward to getting to it.

143Amberfly
jul 26, 2016, 5:55 pm

>142 Jackie_K: It was a BB for me too, though I forget from where. I'm about 2/3 through it right now. It's not as absorbing as I would have wished, but it is good enough to finish.

144Amberfly
jul 28, 2016, 5:37 pm

Success! I finished We (Root #36) today. I didn't love it, but I'm glad I tried it all the same. I wish I'd read this when I was in high school--at 14 I read Anthem for an English class and was totally absorbed by the story, and We reminded me of that somewhat. Not enough, unfortunately, but somewhat.

I'm toying with The Many-Colored Land for my next read. It would be my second and final attempt at it, but I haven't quite committed yet.

145connie53
jul 31, 2016, 3:09 am

>141 Amberfly: That happens to me too. Although I'm doing better this year.

146rabbitprincess
jul 31, 2016, 9:49 am

>144 Amberfly: I read We in university as part of a dystopian fiction class and it was really interesting to compare it to 1984 and Brave New World, and other dystopic books.

147Amberfly
jul 31, 2016, 11:11 am

>146 rabbitprincess: Yes, the back cover on my edition bills it as a precursor to both of those--that's one of the reasons I bought it. I've read both and found them interesting but not absorbing, though it's been several years since then and the memory is fuzzy. Anthem was also a dystoia and that one stuck with me, but it's possible that this historical dystopia subgenre just isn't for me.

>145 connie53: Congrats. I'm not doing too well with that myself--they still come in faster than I read them. But many of them go out again as well. I'm taking a batch of them to the library this week for re-homing.

148Amberfly
aug 5, 2016, 4:47 pm

I finished a short Root, Bon Voyage Mr. President and Other Stories. I've had this one for more than two years, a long time for such a short book (only 60 pages). I'm working away at The Many-Colored Land as my next Root. It took a while to get going, but I'm interested to see where it goes next. I have this and The Golden Torc in a single volume, and I'm about a quarter of the way into that volume. It would go faster if I wasn't so easily distracted by library books, though.

149Amberfly
aug 12, 2016, 4:14 pm

I have finished The Many-Colored Land. While it had its merits and I'm glad I finished it, I'm not invested enough in the series to want to read the second part. The premise was interesting but the characters aren't engaging enough for me, so the two-book omnibus is going to be donated to the library. I've owned this since at least 2013, when I joined LT, so I'm really glad to have finally gotten it off the TBR. It wasn't the oldest Root I had, but it was up there.

I've also started Wyrms, another Root, bought about a year and a half ago. Only a chapter into it, but it looks somewhat promising. The library's graphic novel collection has been really sweeping me away and it's interfering with my Root progress. I'm still well on track to finish on time though, maybe even early if I can get my act together =)

150Amberfly
aug 16, 2016, 7:54 pm

I finished Wyrms today. A strange book, somewhat disturbing on several different levels. I don't know if I can say I actually enjoyed it, but it was a page-turner.

I'm trying a new experiment for choosing Roots. I pulled 15 Roots from their places on the shelf, set them where they are highly visible, and told myself, "If I don't have any urge to read these between now and the end of September, they go to the library." I don't have to actually read them all by then, but I have to look at them and say "I still really want to read that" sometime in the next six weeks. But I am going to try choosing my next few reads from there, and see if it works.

151rabbitprincess
aug 16, 2016, 7:57 pm

That sounds like an interesting experiment! Hope it works!

152Amberfly
aug 17, 2016, 10:26 am

>151 rabbitprincess: Thanks, I hope so too! I rarely seem to get to the older Roots when I have 100+ to choose from. 15 is a much more manageable number and might be the push I need. That, and I need the shelf space!

153Amberfly
aug 19, 2016, 11:06 am

The experiment is already making an impact. I've cleared two Roots from the smaller group--Blindness and Agent of Byzantium.

Blindness was a textbook that the instructor decided we didn't have time to cover, and when I picked it up the other day I found I'd already read over fifty pages of it and given up once before. Seeing that I'd gotten that far and failed was the deciding factor--it's going in the donation box. I did find my long-lost leather bookmark in it though, so that's a plus; I thought that was gone forever.

Byzantium was just boring. I've owned it for at least three years, never tried to read it until this week, and was so bored I didn't make it through the first chapter. What a waste of space. Well, the library can decide what to do with it now.

Byzantium is being counted as a Root but not for points, because I did honestly try to read it but don't feel I should get points for reading 10 pages. Blindness is not being counted for either, since what portion of it I read was not read this year.

154Amberfly
aug 21, 2016, 4:51 pm

Another Root down, chosen from the experimental stack: #41, The Gunslinger. This one's been waiting on the shelf for almost three years, but I know I tried to read it once, several years before that, and failed. I always felt like I should have enjoyed it, though, and this time I did. I don't know yet if it's enough to make me seek out the sequels, but it was a good read.

155Sace
aug 21, 2016, 5:39 pm

Hi, Amberfly!

I just randomly clicked on your thread (creepy, right? Sorry) and I noticed you had the Cardcaptor Sakura series on your list of books read.

I just bought that series and I'm having a little trouble getting into it (I'm really at the very, very beginning....14% according to my kindle.) Perhaps it is because I am currently reading xxxHolic (also by CLAMP) and Cardcaptor seems so...juvenile? That sounds more disparaging than I mean it to. I suspect that once I focus on it I will enjoy it. I really like CLAMP's art style.

Anyhoo...I just thought I'd drop in and "squee" a little over the books we have in common.

156Amberfly
aug 21, 2016, 10:35 pm

Hi there, Sace. Ha, I hope that's not creepy, I do it all the time! And I'll happily join in the squee-ing =)

Yes, I read Cardcaptor Sakura earlier this year and I loved it, but I actually fell in love with the story through the anime many years ago so I'm somewhat biased. It was in many ways my introduction to both mediums, anime and manga. It does feel like it's for a younger audience than some of their other works, but I'd say it's definitely worth sticking with! The

I'm a fan of CLAMP's style too; I've also read Magic Knight Rayearth, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, Tsubasa World, and most of xxxHolic (my library doesn't have the last few volumes, grrr!). If you like xxxHolic and haven't read Tsubasa yet, I'd recommend it--there's a good bit of crossover between them.

I stopped listing my graphic novel reads in this thread because I read them so fast, but maybe I should start doing it again...

157Sace
aug 22, 2016, 5:57 am

Yay! You didn't find me creepy!

I read a little more of Cardcaptor last night and it is starting to grow on me. I also plan to read all the Ines you've listed as well. Clover intrigues me too.

Gosh, I wouldn't even meet my goals if it weren't for manga and graphic novels. It's almost all I read. :)

158Amberfly
aug 22, 2016, 10:41 am

Glad to hear it! I wanted to read Clover too, but when I requested it from the library they discovered that the only copy in the county had gone missing. I had never read manga or graphic novels before this year, actually, but now I devour them. It's an addicting hobby.

159Sace
aug 22, 2016, 7:26 pm

Oh noes!!

Yeah. It's so easy to read them super fast, so I end up buying way more than I should. And my library carries very little manga. Example: they only have Vols. 28 and 35 of Bleach. Does that even make any sense?

160Amberfly
aug 23, 2016, 11:41 am

Whaaat? I have no idea what kind of story you could piece together from just those two volumes. I read Bleach too, and that's nuts. Our library is better than that but they still have gaps in some series. The worst I've run into so far was with Rurouni Kenshin--28 volumes and almost 1/4 of them are nowhere to be found. I actually joined the neighboring county's library to get those, and even then they have to be sent from another branch.

161Sace
Redigerat: aug 23, 2016, 7:04 pm

The experience at my library is spotty. Sometimes I can find really neat things (Aya) and sometimes I'm surprised by what they don't have (Possession).

PS: Ruroni Kenshin looks really good...and the VizBig editions are on Amazon.....must.not.purchase.

Oh help me!! The whole series on kindle for less than $5 each!!!

162Amberfly
aug 24, 2016, 12:04 am

I shouldn't lead you into temptation but it is really good. I'm reading three manga series right now and Rurouni Kenshin is my favorite of the lot.

Aya looks interesting too, and one of the libraries has it. I may have to request that one.

163Sace
aug 24, 2016, 4:52 am

Already led. Bought the series last night :-)

164Amberfly
aug 24, 2016, 10:48 am

Ha, oh well =)
Hope you enjoy it!

165Sace
aug 25, 2016, 8:00 pm

I'm only a few pages in, but I really like the art and the story so far.

166Amberfly
aug 26, 2016, 9:29 pm

Glad to hear it! It pulls you in fast. Or it did me, anyway.

A more general update on Roots and other reading: I attempted another Root from my "try by the end of September" stack, Winter in Eden. This, it turns out, is the middle volume in a trilogy, a fact I might've known when I bought it three or four years ago but had since forgotten. The first chapter has potential, but also convinced me that I really need to find the first volume before I read this one. So it's out of the September stack and back into the general Roots until then. I did read a non-Root this week, Terry Pratchett's Moving Pictures, which I loved, but it doesn't meet my Root criteria. I'm not sure where I'll be going next--back to the September stack, maybe.

167connie53
Redigerat: aug 29, 2016, 6:00 am

Love that whole discussion! Made me laugh!

>150 Amberfly: How are you getting along with the ROOT pile reading?

168avanders
aug 29, 2016, 12:09 pm

Just dropping by to say hi :) I couldn't possibly catch up on the threads after my crazy-long absence, but I just wanted to drop by and say hi!

169Amberfly
aug 29, 2016, 6:56 pm

>168 avanders: Hi! Glad to see you back!

>167 connie53: I aim to amuse =)
It's going pretty well. The stack of 15 Roots that I pulled out for special attention is really helping. I've already gone through four of those (one set aside for later, one read, two discarded) and started a fifth (The Blithedale Romance, started last night). Having a more bite-sized list might be the way to go for me.

170connie53
aug 30, 2016, 2:32 am

>169 Amberfly: I think I have something like your 15 ROOTs stack. I call it STBR pile (soon to be read) but it does not really work for me (yet).

171Sace
aug 30, 2016, 5:59 am

What is this 15 ROOTs of which connie speaks?

172Amberfly
aug 30, 2016, 10:15 am

>171 Sace: It's an experiment I started a couple of weeks ago, earlier in the thread. Basically, my TBR is intimidatingly big, and left to my own devices I pick mostly newer Roots, leaving old ones on the shelf. So I pulled 15 older Roots from the shelf, set them somewhere prominent, and decided that if I didn't have any urge to read them in the next six weeks (four, now) they'd be donated to the library unread. I don't have to actually read them in that time, but I have to feel a desire to read them.

>170 connie53: From the sound of it, it might be similar. It's working for me now, but it's early days yet, so we'll see.

173avanders
aug 30, 2016, 12:28 pm

>172 Amberfly: ooooh interesting! are they largely classics, or just "older"?

174Amberfly
aug 30, 2016, 3:56 pm

>173 avanders: By "older" I just meant I'd owned them longer, or I'd tried to read them at least once already. Though a few would qualify as classics. Here's a list of what's in the stack, if anyone's interested:

Cartomancy
Olivion's Favorites
Unicorn U.
Book of the Hopi
The Gunslinger--read this one
Blindness--donated
Agent of Byzantium--donated
Through the Darkness
Interview with the Vampire
A Streetcar Named Desire
A slim volume of the poetry of Robert Frost
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Blithedale Romance--currently reading this one
Motherless Brooklyn
Winter in Eden--attempted, found it was #2 in a trilogy and am searching for #1

175Sace
aug 30, 2016, 9:16 pm

>172 Amberfly: Thank you for explaining it again. I'm sorry I missed it earlier in the thread. It's an interesting method. Iay have to try something similar. I've got some ROOTs that have been on my shelves for over 10 years. I tend to be most attached to books I haven't read yet, but I am running out of space.

Maybe I should pull some older ROOTs and read at least 50 pages... Oh but then what if it's just not the right time? Maybe I'll like it more the next time I try...

Ugh. This is why I have no space.

176Amberfly
Redigerat: aug 30, 2016, 9:54 pm

Of course! I like talking about my complex systems =) It's the first time I've tried a method like this so I'm still seeing if it will work. Most of my older Roots date to around 2012 or 2013--around then I started having less and less time to read, but I didn't stop acquiring books, and thus here I am today.

Ha, I've had that same debate with myself about how it's the right book but the wrong time. Six of the ones on the list are those cases, where I started to read something and didn't care for it, but feel like I should like it, so I keep it for a while longer because maybe someday... But like you, I'm out of shelf space, and something has to give. For me, it's this.

177Sace
aug 31, 2016, 7:22 am

>176 Amberfly: Same problem here. Still acquiring books, not reading any faster. You've got me mulling over my ROOTs and how to deal with them. I also have the debate about acquisition. I know I shouldn't buy books and I make very valiant efforts...for about a week. Then I just go right back to hoarding books.

178Amberfly
aug 31, 2016, 10:26 am

>177 Sace: Yes, that's a constant struggle for me too. I thought it might get better when I moved last year, because there are fewer physical bookstores in my new location and that's where I made most of my purchases, but it didn't. I blame Amazon. I've tried various methods to curtail buying but haven't hit anything that works yet.

179Tess_W
aug 31, 2016, 5:34 pm

I'm with you ladies about book buying...that's why we are all here! However, I did not buy one book beginning near the end of 2014, all of 2015, and only 5-6 99centers in 2016. I have cleared one entire bookcase at my home and the other 3 are no longer double stacked. I read 200 and with no buying for about 2 years I can see my way through the stacks! I found that the wishlist button has helped me alot....I have about 400 books on my list instead of on my bookshelves. If and when I buy now (going to try to continue this not buying into 2017), I buy mostly only Kindle books, so my shelves won't become stuffed again.

180Sace
aug 31, 2016, 7:43 pm

>178 Amberfly: Amazon is the devil.

>179 Tess_W: I did ok Jan.-March of this year. Then I just lost all my resolve and started buying again. I have categories of books: There are books that I am perfectly happy putting on the wishlist and there are books that I must.have.now....yet I don't read them as soon as I get them.

I'm also trying to buy more Kindle books, but lately I find myself preferring the physical book.

Despite all the acquisitions, I still have several shelves that aren't two deep...yet.

Some days I feel like I need to get a handle on things, other days I tell myself that life's too short to worry about it. :-)

181Amberfly
sep 1, 2016, 6:28 pm

I have a strong bias towards physical books. I don't own an e-reader and while I see the advantages of them I don't really have a desire for one. I find putting books on my wishlist unsatisfying, unfortunately, so I'm still looking for another solution. Only one shelf in one bookcase has two rows of books right now, though, so I'm okay there. And, I tell myself optimistically, once I clear some of the four TBR shelves things will be under control.

182Sace
sep 1, 2016, 8:12 pm

I used to have a strong bias toward physical books. Then I got an e-reader and I was gung-ho on it. But now I find myself swinging back to preferring the physical books. Though I enjoy an e-reader when I'm reading a romance. The covers on those things are awful, but no one sees them on an e-reader. And I also confess I love the instant gratification of a wi-fi connection and the kindle store :-)

183avanders
sep 2, 2016, 3:21 pm

>174 Amberfly: makes sense :)

Unicorn U. sounds kind of awesome! Sounds like the exact sort of book I'd snatch up if I saw it ;)
I found Interview with the Vampire.. less than compelling. BUT I may have just been reading it at a time when I couldn't get into it -- I think I might consider giving it another go at some point down the line...

As for the others... no specific thoughts :)
Interesting list!

>178 Amberfly: "I blame Amazon." lol .. they're good for that ;) & Me too...

>179 Tess_W: wow!! impressive. I'm working on it.... am better most days.... I agree the wishlist button helps a lot!

>180 Sace: me too, still... I just can't seem to really get into a kindle book the same way I get into a physical book. Odd.

184Amberfly
sep 2, 2016, 6:26 pm

>183 avanders: Yes, Interview with the Vampire is one of the ones I tried to read unsuccessfully several years ago. I remember liking the movie, so the book ought to be better, but I wasn't drawn in. This will be the second attempt, when I get to it. Unicorn U. has been on the shelf so long I've forgotten why I bought it. Mine doesn't even have the funny cover, just the plain ARC one. That's what I get for buying books at thrift stores =)

>182 Sace: Those covers do have a tendency to be awful. I don't read much genre romance, but older science fiction and fantasy have some of the same issues, and I do read those--they can be both hilarious and embarrassing to read in public!

185Sace
sep 2, 2016, 7:18 pm

Oh Mylanta! i just clicked on Unicorn U. I haven't even read a description, but the titles and covers alone make me want to read them.

*runs off to add to Amazon wishlist*

186Amberfly
sep 4, 2016, 11:08 am

With everyone fussing over Unicorn U., I may go for that one next after I finish with Blithedale! =) Though that may take a while--I'm hardly making any progress and have minimal enthusiasm for it even 50 pages in. I think I may not be a Hawthorne person. I had the same problem with The Scarlet Letter a few years ago.

187Sace
sep 4, 2016, 12:37 pm

I vaguely recall reading Hawthorne in high school and I can't even remember how I feel about reading it. It's still required reading for 10th graders at the school where I teach (Spanish) and the teacher must be really good. Most of my students say they really like the book. It's another that I should try to re-read. I've looked up Blithedale and it seems interesting.

188Amberfly
sep 4, 2016, 8:22 pm

I didn't actually read The Scarlet Letter in school, either in high school or in college, though it seems most people did. I read it on my own time, to see what I was missing. Even my then-boyfriend, who is not a big reader, said he enjoyed reading it in class, but that wasn't my experience with it. I have read some of Hawthorne's short fiction but it seems I may just not get along with his novels.

189Tess_W
sep 4, 2016, 9:01 pm

>187 Sace: >188 Amberfly: I think that The Scarlet Letter would be in my top 10 books of all time. I've read it 2-3 times. I have The House of Seven Gables on my TBR list and hope to get to it soon.

190Sace
sep 4, 2016, 11:03 pm

I know I should give Hawthorne another chance. I have the Marble Faun somewhere on my shelves, but I'm not sure about The Scarlet Letter or The House of Seven Gables.

191Amberfly
sep 5, 2016, 2:35 pm

Interesting to see everyone's opinions. Clearly I am in the minority with Hawthorne =)

I'm giving up on The Blithedale Romance. I made it about 1/3 of the way in, but it just isn't working for me, so it's going in the donate box. I believe I own The House of Seven Gables as a Root as well, so I'll give that a try at some point, but not yet. I need a break from this style.

192Sace
sep 8, 2016, 7:22 am

>189 Tess_W: >191 Amberfly: I actually do have a copy of the House of Seven Gables. I think I might give it a try in the coming weeks. I have a feeling that I may not like Hawthorne either, but I also don't think I've given him a chance. I should read him as an adult and then see. Being told you HAVE to read Hawthorne as a teenager, I probably went into it with a bad attitude. *snort* But going into it as an adult already thinking I won't like him might not be much better. I feel like I need to try to open my mind and expand my reading though.

193Amberfly
sep 8, 2016, 11:15 am

>192 Sace: Definitely go into it with an open mind. I've run into that issue on several occasions, where being assigned a book in school put me off not just that book but all the author's works for years. I got over it with Fitzgerald, but I haven't yet worked up the determination to give James or Hemingway another try. Someday.

194Caramellunacy
sep 8, 2016, 12:49 pm

>188 Amberfly:, I didn't care for Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter AT ALL. I had a LOT (very little of it nice) to say about Hester Prynne's methods of child-rearing and the aptly named Dimmesdale (whom I found absurdly melodramatic) in the essay I had to write for class. Oddly enough, I *did* very much enjoy it retold as a teen comedy in Easy A with Emma Stone. Something about her parents' shouting at her to spell (a bad word she got in trouble for at school) with her peas really tickled me.

That said, I did quite enjoy Rappacini's Daughter (also assigned), so Hawthorne mileage clearly varies :)

195Sace
sep 8, 2016, 8:39 pm

>193 Amberfly: I was not a fan of Fitzgerald when I had to read him in high school. Recently my daughter and I went to the local Fitzgerald Museum and it was just fascinating. We spent at least two hours there taking to the guide. I decided to have The Great Gatsby another try and was pleasantly surprised. I put it down for a while though. I should get back to it...

>194 Caramellunacy: Easy A was a great movie!

196Amberfly
sep 9, 2016, 12:49 am

>194 Caramellunacy: I never did get to see that movie. Perhaps I ought to look it up. My biggest issue with Scarlet Letter wasn't actually its themes (though those do bother me) but that I found it almost painfully boring. A lot of time is spent talking about scenes where nothing happens. For such a short work it was a tremendous slog. I hit the very same problem with The Blithedale Romance, further up the thread; that's why I suspect I may just not get along with Hawthorne.

>195 Sace: Gatsby was the one that put me off when I read it in high school, and I haven't gone back to it yet. If that one doesn't work for you, and you haven't already read it, consider giving Tender is the Night a look. I found that to be by far the better novel.

I googled the Fitzgerald Museum and that really does look fascinating. Shame it's in Alabama and I'm in Arizona. I can spend hours in a good museum!

197Sace
Redigerat: sep 9, 2016, 4:14 am

The museum is quite small, but the tour guide really knew his stuff (Fitzgerald and literature in general) and the "tour" consisted of a lot of lit talk. It was very intimate. There were only 4 "tourists" and the guide. We had a blast. The other people with us were from out of state and I got the impression that they traveled the country going to different literary spots of interest. That's what I want to do when I retire!

I'll put Tender is the Night on my wishlist.

198Amberfly
sep 11, 2016, 7:11 pm

>197 Sace: That's one of the best retirement ideas I've heard. And I hope you like Tender is the Night.

I am not making much progress with Roots. I'm working on one (Robinson Crusoe) but keep getting distracted. It interests me while I'm reading it, but once I put it down there's little drive to pick it up again. I think this is one I can make it through, though. If things go well and I keep my focus, I might finish it within the week.

199connie53
sep 18, 2016, 2:25 am

>174 Amberfly: I loved Winter in Eden when I read it, way back!

I really love reading a physical book. And I prefer them over digital books. I like the feel and the smell of it and seeing my progress while reading marked by a bookmark. I did buy some books this year (34), but not as many as I used to do in previous years. If I did read only digital books I would never get through my paper books.

200Amberfly
sep 18, 2016, 5:06 pm

>199 connie53: I really liked the way the first chapter was written, I just felt a little lost not having read the previous book. I've got high hopes for it once I lay hands on that.

I prefer physical books for all those reasons too. The copy of Robinson Crusoe that I'm reading is an older hardcover, pages somewhat brown from age, not such great quality but every time I open it I get that lovely old book smell. I have a handle on new book purchases right now, partly because I'm getting a lot from the library (yay!) and partly because the largest and best book store in my area is going out of business (boo!).

201connie53
sep 19, 2016, 1:03 am

>200 Amberfly: Yes, reading the first book is a very good idea :-)) I hope you will find it soon. Happy hunting.

202avanders
sep 22, 2016, 10:35 am

>184 Amberfly: Yeah.. I never mind owning the ARC version of a book... except sometimes I'm sad about that cover ;)

>185 Sace: RIGHT?! ;)

>186 Amberfly: lol I love it. Unicorn U will have a 2016 revitalization all thanks to Amberfly ;) I have it in my thriftbooks.com cart right now...

>189 Tess_W: Oh I just got The House of Seven Gables this past July when I was visiting Salem (where the House of Seven Gables is... and a VERY cool city to visit!)... I'll look forward to your thoughts!

>196 Amberfly: interesting.. I wasn't a huge fan of Gatsby either, but good to hear his other writing may be better :)

203Amberfly
sep 24, 2016, 10:43 pm

>201 connie53: Thanks! It's on my wishlist, but I haven't bought it yet.

>202 avanders: Lol, that would actually be hilarious. Revitalizing it without even having read it yet.
Tender is the Night was one of my favorite things I read that year, I think 2014 or thereabouts. Gatsby was forced on me in high school and I've not yet felt the need to revisit my impressions, and This Side of Paradise was a DNF earlier this year. I haven't gotten my hands on any others yet, but I plan to at some point.

I am almost ashamed to report my astounding lack of progress here. I swear I will finish Robinson Crusoe someday. I chip away at it a few pages at a time. It's actually an interesting read, much more readable to me than Blithedale earlier in the thread, and I want to finish it, but I don't focus on it so well. I'm continuing to read lots of manga and graphic novels, though, and that's definitely taking up a lot of my reading time. I can't help it, they're just so much fun, and there are so many! I keep finding new series before I finish the ones I've already started.

204Sace
Redigerat: sep 26, 2016, 10:58 am

Don't sweat it. I've had a real reading slowdown as well. The worst part of it is the feeling guilty. (At least for me anyway.)

As for the Manga, I could have written the exact same thing!

205Amberfly
sep 26, 2016, 8:53 pm

>204 Sace: Oh, no worries. I've noticed over the last few years that this is actually my pattern. I always seem to read fewer Roots in the late summer and early fall. Doesn't stop me feeling a little guilty about it, though not guilty enough to stop what I'm doing =)

Manga...I think I'm reading four series right now? Goong: The Royal Palace, Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Soul Eater, and Planetes, all of them very interesting though disparate from one another. And I started reading an American comic series, Fables, which I like but am not far into yet. This past week I got my hands on Chobits (all 8 of them, all very good), and the final books in the Sandman series (excellent, as always). So it's been a busy reading week, though not with Roots.

206Sace
Redigerat: sep 27, 2016, 8:16 am

>205 Amberfly: ooooo. All of those Manga sound good. And Fables is on my wishlist. So much Manga, so little time....

207Amberfly
sep 27, 2016, 11:07 am

They each have their caveats, but they are all good. Though with Goong, Ooku, and Soul Eater I had to push past the first volume and into the second before deciding to keep going.

208Amberfly
okt 4, 2016, 10:40 am

Time for a Root update. Due to extenuating circumstances I won't be finishing Robinson Crusoe. Those circumstances being, I had my purse stolen yesterday, and my copy of Robinson was in it at the time. Everything has to be replaced, and the $1 copy of the book is low on the priority list, especially given my lukewarm reaction to it. So that's that.

209Tess_W
okt 4, 2016, 10:52 am

>208 Amberfly: Oh no, so sorry to hear your purse stolen--that's like a serious personal violation!

210MissWatson
okt 4, 2016, 1:15 pm

>208 Amberfly: How aggravating! Are there many documents you need replacing? That's usually the second-worst thing about theft. The worst of course being that it happened.

211Jackie_K
okt 4, 2016, 3:48 pm

>208 Amberfly: What a horrible thing to happen. I hope you're not too shaken by it, and that replacing everything isn't too much of a pain. :(

212rabbitprincess
Redigerat: okt 4, 2016, 7:51 pm

How awful to have your purse stolen! I hope you can get all your cards and other important stuff replaced as painlessly as possible.

213Amberfly
okt 4, 2016, 9:30 pm

Thanks for the sympathies, everyone. I was furious about it yesterday and this morning, but I'm starting to move on from it now. I lost several credit/debit cards and my driver's license, plus some loyalty cards, AAA and both my library cards. Everything was cancelled before any suspicious transactions could take place, thankfully. I also lost my house and car keys, meaning all the locks had to be changed. New keys have been obtained and new cards are in the mail already. Other than maybe $25 cash and various items of negligible monetary value, the thief didn't get away with anything. It's the negligible value stuff that I miss, though. They could've had the cash if they'd left me my notepad and my amethyst key fob. I'm making a shopping expedition this weekend to replace what I can.

214Sace
okt 5, 2016, 7:31 am

So sorry to hear this. I'm glad you were able to get cards cancelled before any thing happened.

215Amberfly
okt 5, 2016, 8:09 pm

>214 Sace: Thanks, me too. Now it's just dealing with the residual effects--new purse, new wallet, new sunglasses and hairbrush and notepad.... And I'm starting a new job on Tuesday, adding to the chaos. =)

216MissWatson
okt 6, 2016, 5:30 am

>215 Amberfly: Oh my, new job as well. It never rains but it pours.

217Amberfly
okt 7, 2016, 8:48 pm

>216 MissWatson: Indeed it does. So much so that I haven't even chosen a new Root yet.

I spent most of today shopping for replacement stuff and only managed to find a couple of things. Not the best results.

218Amberfly
okt 12, 2016, 1:17 pm

Well, I started the new job (not fun, but I'm getting by), and I finished another Root, #44 Green Tea and Other Ghost Stories. I thought it would be in the spirit of the season to read some creepy tales, and this was a decent start. I also started reading Dickens's The Haunted House, which isn't a Root but is shaping up to be a good read.

219rabbitprincess
okt 12, 2016, 4:15 pm

Hope that the new job gets better or is at least tolerable. Sounds like your spooky October reading is off to a good start!

220Amberfly
okt 12, 2016, 9:44 pm

>219 rabbitprincess: Thanks, I hope so too. We'll see. It's early days yet.

Spooky titles for October are looking like the way to go. The other day I went through my unread shelves and pulled about 6-10 books of ghost stories and a couple of general horror. The Dickens is the only one that's not a Root, so if the mood sticks around for a while I'll also have more progress to share.

221Sace
okt 14, 2016, 6:50 am

>220 Amberfly: I'm also hoping the new job gets better!

I've only managed one book so far this month: Hallowe'en Party. I had grand plans of reading all sorts of Halloween themed books, but I have not been on track so far.

I saw your mention of the Dickens book and had to buy it. I may not get to it this month, but I'll get to it eventually. Hey, if I wait long enough it will become a ROOT!

222Amberfly
okt 14, 2016, 11:50 am

>221 Sace: Thanks. Some parts of it are getting better, but some are not. Waiting and seeing is all I can do.

I haven't made any progress on the Dickens since my last post, but perhaps today is the day. I have to day off.

223Sace
okt 14, 2016, 12:54 pm

>222 Amberfly: Enjoy your day off!

224Amberfly
okt 16, 2016, 10:55 pm

>223 Sace: Thanks! I did, though I didn't get any Roots read.

I'm about to finish the Goong manhwa (sp?) I mentioned earlier in the thread, and I spent the day with that instead. Other matters are really eating into my reading time just now. I'm hoping things calm down before too long.

225Sace
Redigerat: okt 20, 2016, 7:30 pm

>224 Amberfly: I always find manwha/Manga to be the perfect reading choice when things are crazy.

226Amberfly
Redigerat: okt 22, 2016, 11:03 am

>225 Sace: Yes, they are fluffy enough to be relaxing, and they require less time commitment than a novel for the same amount of story. I keep waiting for things to calm down so I can balance them out with regular novels, but as yet that is not the case.

227Sace
okt 22, 2016, 1:40 pm

>226 Amberfly: I especially like that I can still feel productive when reading manga. Things may be crazy, but by jiminy I can at least get *something* done.

228avanders
nov 2, 2016, 11:38 am

>203 Amberfly: >204 Sace: I agree with Sace -- don't sweat it - the worst part is feeling guilty! Just enjoy the reading :)

>208 Amberfly: oh no! I'm so sorry you had your purse stolen :(
So glad you got it all cancelled in time! But what a hassle ... and it feels like such a violation!

>218 Amberfly: congrats on the new job! Sorry you're not loving it yet... perhaps with some time :)

>221 Sace: oh! I bought that just a year or so ago... Did you enjoy Hallowe'en Party??

229Sace
nov 2, 2016, 8:22 pm

>228 avanders: Um. It was OK. My reading mojo has been weird lately. I've had a hard time getting into anything, even Manga.

230avanders
Redigerat: nov 3, 2016, 1:18 pm

>229 Sace: it happens... I've been in the same place and struggling a bit with focus. I started reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, though, and it's so interesting! Hoping this helps break my little funk (I finished 0 books in October!!)

231Amberfly
nov 6, 2016, 11:10 pm

>227 Sace: Yes, I imagine that's a factor too. With a big chunk taken out of my free time, it's nice to actually accomplish something in the time remaining. And manga serves that purpose.

>228 avanders: Yes, it was a huge hassle. I hope I never have this happen to me again. The job is getting a little easier but not more enjoyable. Still, I am trying to be optimistic about it, and am continuing to wait and see.

I still don't have any new Roots to report. Still reading a lot of manga and graphic novels, most of them library books and none old enough to meet my Root requirements.

Let's see, earlier in the thread I was reading five series: Soul Eater, Goong: The Royal Palace, Planetes, Ooku, and Fables. I'm still reading Fables but have finished the others. Planetes was probably the best of the lot in terms of literary value. Surreal at times, and tackling some very big themes about what space exploration means to the human psyche. Ooku was really interesting right up until the end, which came rather abruptly, even though the primary plot threads were tied up. The other two were mostly just a lot of fun. I started another, shorter manga, From Far Away, which I love. High fantasy, sword fights, and a love story--I really couldn't ask for more, and I hope the ending holds up. I'm also reading the webcomic (in book form) Gunnerkrigg Court and having a lot of fun with that, as well as dabbling in various other series and one-off comics. So as before, I am reading, just not traditional novels or Roots.

232Sace
nov 7, 2016, 7:08 am

>231 Amberfly: I've been looking at From Far Away for a couple of months. Glad to hear it's good. I've put it on my wishlist, but since I'm trying to be strong and not make any book purchases until my birthday I will wait. I do, however have comixology unlimited,so I borrowed Gunnerkirgg Court. It looks fun! I love reading about the manga/graphic novels you're reading.

233Amberfly
nov 7, 2016, 9:56 am

>232 Sace: Glad to hear it! I don't think there are many others in this group reading them, and the comics/manga groups on LT are pretty quiet. One cool thing about Gunnerkrigg Court is that since it's a webcomic, you can actually read it on the writer's website for free too. I prefer the paper editions, but I was very happy to find that out when the library couldn't find volume 2 for me! I stumbled on both that and From Far Away while prowling the YA section, and I'm so glad I did!

234avanders
nov 8, 2016, 9:49 am

>231 Amberfly: looks like a lot of great series -- glad you're enjoying them!
And also happy to hear that your job is getting a little easier... hopefully it continues w/ more time!

235Amberfly
nov 8, 2016, 4:36 pm

>234 avanders: Thanks, I hope so too. And yes, I am enjoying them quite a bit, even while they interfere with my Root goals!

236Amberfly
nov 28, 2016, 10:22 pm

Nearly three weeks without an update! I really am slipping! But I still have no Root progress, sadly, only more comics.

Last time I did an update, I was reading Fables, From Far Away, and Gunnerkirgg Court. I've finished FFA (which I loved right up to the end). I've finished the main sequence of Fables (which I also loved, though it got a lot darker than I expected at the end). Gunnerkrigg is ongoing, but I've finished what's available and am looking forward to what's next. Very good story there. Hmm, what else? I've slowly been working through Flight, an anthology (actually several) of short comics tied together by the title theme. These are fabulous, but the library had a long waiting list to get some of the volumes so it's taken a while to read them, and I'm still waiting on a couple. I also read the first volume of The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths and was rather sad the library doesn't have the other two. I've started some new manga: Angelic Layer (decent first volume, waiting for the others to arrive) and Fushigi Yugi (rough start but I'm at volume 3 and sticking with it for now). I have the first volumes of several other series on the shelf right now, but haven't gotten to them yet.

Oh! I did read a novel! But it was a re-read, and a Fables spinoff (lots of spinoffs there): Peter & Max: A Fables Novel. I read this years ago, knowing that it was part of a comic series but not having the inclination to seek them out at the time. It stood very well on its own but connects quite nicely with the rest of the story.

Back to Roots at the end here, on a whim I decided to pick up the oldest Root in my collection for my next novel read. LT says that The Idylls of the Queen was catalogued before anything else in the TBR, so that's the one and I'm going to start it either this evening or tomorrow. Hope it's a good one. =)

237Sace
nov 29, 2016, 7:00 am

>236 Amberfly: I always love reading your updates. I read Fushigi Yugi years ago and I liked it. I think I've liked others better since then. It was one of my first manga.

Have you read Red River? That might be my all time favorite. It's shojo for sure. I did lots of swooning and sighing yet at the same time it's got a smart, tough heroine. It's got excellent action as well.

OOOO! The Idylls of the Queen is on Kindle Unlimited! I can read it and still stay on my book diet! I've got a 2 week break coming up and I've loaded that on the kindle. It looks really good.

238Caramellunacy
nov 29, 2016, 12:34 pm

>237 Sace:
I remember Red River, I think - isn't that the one where the main character gets transported back to the Hittite Empire and they show everyone's speech bubbles in cuneiform (? I think that's what the triangle-y writing is called) until she can suddenly understand everyone's laryngeals due to the hero sticking his tongue down her throat? - I know that doesn't sound great, but it is SO MUCH FUN. I really enjoyed the volumes of that one that I read. I need to go pick that back up!

239Amberfly
nov 29, 2016, 7:51 pm

>237 Sace: Thank you! I love writing them! My issue with Fushigi Yugi is that I like to have a couple of volumes to get to know the characters and plot before people start confessing their love. That, and comedy can be a hard sell for me, and this series seems to have a lot of it, at least early on. It took a darker, more serious turn at the end of volume 3, though, so I'm keeping with it.

Red River is new to me; it looks quite good but my libraries don't have it. I'll keep an eye out for it though--thanks for the recommendation! I started Idylls of the Queen today and it's off to a good start--lots of court intrigue in the first couple of chapters. And good luck on the book diet--we've got an annual library sale coming up this weekend, so no such abstinence here!

>238 Caramellunacy: I just wrote that comedy is a hard sell, then laughed aloud at your description. Now I REALLY need to keep an eye out for it; sounds kinda awesome!

240Sace
nov 30, 2016, 7:02 am

>238 Caramellunacy: YES! That's the one! It really was a fun series! I had forgotten about that episode. I may have to go back and reread the series. I read it last year around this time and I was up way into the night reading volume after volume. It was probably the fastest moving manga I've read.

>239 Amberfly: I seem to recall feeling like Fushigi Yugi got bogged down after a bit, but I still enjoyed it. I tend to be a sucker for the comedy. It's never a hard sell for me :-)

241Amberfly
dec 2, 2016, 5:56 pm

>240 Sace: Thanks for the warning. I'm in other comics at the moment but I'll be getting back to that one shortly.

December's a time to assess goals, and I've been sitting at 44 Roots for a while now. Idylls of the Queen is going well, but I'm going to have to push myself a bit to meet my goal of 50 by year's end. If I can find the right Roots, I can do this.

242Sace
dec 2, 2016, 7:34 pm

>241 Amberfly: I'll be...er...ROOTING for you to meet your goal! ;-)

243Amberfly
dec 3, 2016, 10:57 am

>242 Sace: Thank you! It's going to be fun. I hope =)

244Amberfly
dec 4, 2016, 5:50 pm

Months of extended silences have come to an end: I finished Root #45, Idylls of the Queen, today. It had been in my collection, unread, for at least three years (when I joined the site). The premise of this novel is not something I'd normally have gone for; a murder mystery set in Camelot just isn't my thing, to the extent that I don't remember what convinced me to purchase it in the first place. However, it ended up being a lot more fun to read than I expected, and I'm glad I finally got to it. The influence of Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur is stronger than I expected going in, and that's one of the things I enjoyed most about it.

Five more Roots to go!

245Sace
dec 5, 2016, 7:37 am

>244 Amberfly: Excellent! I've started reading that as well. I've only read one chapter (I've got several things going at once), but I liked that first chapter. A murder mystery in Camelot is exactly my thing :-)

246avanders
dec 5, 2016, 10:38 am

>244 Amberfly: woo hoo! Congrats :)
That actually does sound like a book I'd be interested in -- glad you ended up enjoying it!
5 more - you can do it!

247Amberfly
dec 5, 2016, 9:58 pm

>245 Sace: The first few chapters were a little slow. It picks up later on. I think I read the last 50-100 pages in a single stretch.

>246 avanders: Thanks! I don't read a lot of King Arthur stories but this was a lot of fun.

I am about halfway through Root #46, a prose translation/adaptation of The Romance Tristan and Iseult. Arthur put me in the mood for it, and it's much more readable than I expected. Got a free day tomorrow so I might just marathon it if things go well. I can do this!

248Amberfly
dec 6, 2016, 4:16 pm

I have finished Tristan and Iseult. Root #46, done! Only four more to go, and three weeks to read them in!

249MissWatson
dec 7, 2016, 4:34 am

>248 Amberfly: You can do it!

250Amberfly
dec 8, 2016, 3:31 pm

>249 MissWatson: Thank you! I keep telling myself that!

Skipping right along, I finished Root #47, Oriental Tales, today. Beautiful little collection, no idea why I waited nearly a year to get to it.

Only three more Roots to go! Where was this momentum a month ago? I guess I need the deadline hanging over my head in order to reach my goal.

251Amberfly
dec 14, 2016, 9:41 pm

Well, as the lack of posts this week may have indicated, I've hit a bit of a wall. Root #48 is probably going to be A Canticle for Leibowitz, but it's taking me a while to get into it. I read this in its shorter form sometime last year but am now reading the novel.

I have been reading manga, though. Let's see, last time I posted about comics, I was still reading Angelic Layer and the Flight anthologies. I've finished both series now. Angelic Layer was a cute, fun fighting series, but the plot and character development weren't what I was hoping for, or what I expected from Clamp. The Flight series stayed fabulous all the way through; I'm going to miss those now I've read them all. I also read three western comics: Zot! (didn't care for this one), The Battle of Blood and Ink (fun story), and The Encyclopedia of Early Earth (loved this, it was SO good).

But that's not all! I'm still reading Fushigi Yugi and liking it better as it goes; I've read through volume 6 by this point. I started Tegami Bachi last week and really like that one; sort of post-apocalyptic and not like what I've read before. The characters and premise are all very interesting, though I'm hoping some things about the world are explained in more depth in future. I'm going through the manga adaptation of Puella Magi Madoka Magica (seems it was an anime first) and liking that so far. It's rather darker than I had expected, though I admit to not knowing much about it going in. And I started Chi's Sweet Home as well, because I saw Sace (I think it was you?) reading it in another thread. It's totally adorable and reminds me of the Breaking Cat News webcomic I've been reading for years.

So, a busy reading time, though the Root timeline is getting down to the wire while I fool about with comics from the library. =)

252avanders
dec 15, 2016, 2:06 pm

>251 Amberfly: hmmm ... that book was recommended to me.. hope you enjoy it! I hope I do too, when I get to it ;)

& I know what you mean about getting down to the wire w/ your goal.. me too so I took a shortcut :-o (reading a few middle grade books so I feel "accomplished" ;P)

253Sace
dec 16, 2016, 9:10 pm

>251 Amberfly: Yes!!! Chi's Sweet Home is sooo sweet! I loved the first volume and I'm dying to get the 2nd and 3rd. My library doesn't have them and I'm still trying to stick to my book diet. I figure if I can got more 2 more months of being "disciplined" then I will deserve a reward :-)

254Amberfly
dec 17, 2016, 3:29 pm

>252 avanders: I did enjoy the shorter version. I just seem to have no drive for the novel right now, and it's a shame because the premise is so interesting. I may end up ditching it and making it next year's Root, and picking something else for now so I can reach my goal. Shortcuts sound like a good plan. I wonder if I have any middle-grade Roots...

>253 Sace: It is adorable! My library has several volumes but they shelve them in the kids' section, not with the other comics, so I didn't notice them at first. I got v. 4-6 today (they don't have the omnibuses), so we'll see how long my resolve to read Roots will last.

255avanders
dec 19, 2016, 1:50 pm

>254 Amberfly: I have followed a similar shortcut plan ... ;)
And read 3 middle-grade roots last week to help me out! (now I'm on my last one (not middle grade & is a chunkster) for the year).

256Amberfly
dec 21, 2016, 12:07 am

>255 avanders: I am trying it, and I think it is working. =)

I browsed my Roots and picked out a few that I thought would be fast and/or fun to read. The one I settled on for Root #48 is Assassin's Apprentice. I've read Robin Hobb before under a different name (I think The Reindeer People might have been a Root several years ago), but I am new to this series. I was right thinking it would be both fun and fast; I'm about 1/3 into it and really enjoying myself. Soon I will have to locate the sequels, I imagine. I might finish this one tomorrow if nothing comes up to stop me.

257Amberfly
dec 22, 2016, 8:23 pm

Well, it took a day longer than I thought, but I finished Assassin's Apprentice, Root #48, and it was wonderful. No idea why I waited so long to read it (over a year and a half since purchase), but I can't wait to read the sequels.

But before sequels, I have two more Roots to go, and nine days in which to read them. This is going to be interesting.

258Sace
dec 22, 2016, 8:33 pm

>257 Amberfly: OH! OH! OH! That's been in my TBR pile for years! I really need to get around to reading it. I'm glad to see you really enjoyed it. Fantasy is not my go to genre, but I want to start reading it more.

259Amberfly
dec 23, 2016, 12:21 am

>258 Sace: I definitely recommend it! Fantasy really is my go-to genre though; when I need something fun and fast to read, like I do now, that's what I pick. This is one of those fantasies where you get the sense of a huge history behind the primary story, and it's full of court intrigues and people with complex reasons for behaving as they do. I had a couple of things figured out but it managed to pull some surprises on me as well.

Root #49 has been chosen, and it is A Companion to Wolves. Another light read, in my TBR collection for almost exactly two years. It's shorter than Assassin's Apprentice and seems to be moving just as fast, so I expect to finish it just as quickly. If I can keep this momentum up, I can reach my goal before the year's end. No time to waste! =)

260Tess_W
dec 23, 2016, 10:31 pm

261Amberfly
dec 24, 2016, 3:01 pm

>260 Tess_W: Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you as well!

Root#49, done! I have to admit I wasn't expecting to like A Companion to Wolves as much as I did. I thought it would be a little bit of pseudo-Norse fantastical fluff, and it definitely has those aspects, but I also want to read the sequels. Go figure. =)

And this means I only have one more Root to go! No inkling yet of what it will be, but I have a week to get it read. I can definitely do this!

262rabbitprincess
dec 24, 2016, 3:47 pm

Woo hoo! You can do it! Hope it's a good one :D

263Sace
Redigerat: dec 25, 2016, 11:10 am

>259 Amberfly: I've read the first page or two of Assassin's Apprentice and I liked the writing (I'm sure that's why I bought a fantasy.) I do tend to judge a book by the first page or two. I'm sure I've missed some great books because of my quick judgement.

>261 Amberfly: Woo hoo!! Yes, you can do it!

264avanders
dec 27, 2016, 12:28 pm

Oh looks like I missed this! A belated:



>261 Amberfly: definitely, you can do it!

265Tess_W
dec 28, 2016, 6:27 am

>261 Amberfly: You CAN do it!

266Amberfly
dec 29, 2016, 3:22 pm

Thanks for the encouragement! I have started Root #50! It's Isle of the Dead, which I bought almost exactly a year ago. So far it is good, but not great. I admit I'm stacking the deck a little here--this only barely qualifies as a Root by my normal standards, and it's quite short, just under 200 pages. But it is a busy week, I want to reach my goal, and I have a batch of unread library comics that have to go back in four days. If there is a time to rig the odds a little, it's now. =)

267Amberfly
dec 29, 2016, 8:37 pm

Odds successfully rigged. I made it a marathon and finished Isle of the Dead. It was a decent read, pretty good but far from my favorite thing I've read this year, or even this month. But! This means that I have reached my goal of 50 Roots! YAY!

Now I can sink in to my manga reading with no remorse. In fact, in an effort to read all my library books, I started two new series this week, Pretear and Psyren. Pretear was short enough that I finished it in a couple of days, but I can't say I really enjoyed it very much. It started well, but didn't have enough character development for my taste. I've only just finished the first volume of Psyren, but I think I'm going to like this one. Other than Tegami Bachi (which I'm still pursuing) I've mainly been reading romances lately, and this is a nice change.

268rabbitprincess
dec 29, 2016, 8:49 pm

Hurray, nicely done! ;)

269avanders
jan 2, 2017, 7:04 pm

Wooo hoooo congrats!


Also, Happy New Year! See you in the new 2017 group... :)

270Amberfly
jan 2, 2017, 7:43 pm

Thank you both, and see you over in the new group!