final books of 2009

Okay, a super-speedy post about the last couple books I read in 2009.
First, Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge. Love it! I really just dig the whole Nocturne City series. Something about the gritty police procedural feeling plus the urban fantasy edge plus the great little moments of flirtation just make this series great! People, really, go buy these books!
Second: Demon Bound by Caitlin Kittredge. You know, I enjoyed this one, but as with the first in the Black London series, it just felt slightly sloppy to me. But I really, really like these ones, too. Just not as much as the Nocturne City ones.
Third: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. And I loved it. YA historical fantasy with a dark edge, involving family secrets and creepy prophecies. Highly recommended, to anyone at all interested in any convergence of those topics! SO GOOD! I cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy to be released so the world can experience the awesomeness in its entirety.
Anyway. Onward to freelancing. I know, someday I'll work less and have some sort of life. Or do more writing. Or both. But for now, I'm getting paid to do it, so I need to get it done.
Ta!

a few more books

I remembered a few more books from last year:
Need by Carrie Jones: This is somewhat dark YA urban fantasy, which I usually love. But somehow, this one didn't do it for me. The main character, Zara, was a little too passive and then suddenly not passive for me. And strange things got accepted quite easily, if I remember correctly. I did appreciate the fact that it was werewolves and pixies, but no vampires, but still, this wasn't a keeper for me.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. This one was interesting. It felt middle grade, but creepy in a not-middle-grade sort of way, I think. It's a story about friendship and about time travel and about game shows. I enjoyed it, but it didn't quite gel for me. Not a keeper.
Playing with the Grown-ups by Sophie Dahl. I really, really enjoyed this novel. It felt like a memoir at times, and it was so easy to fall into the emotions of the characters, to feel all the turbulence Kitty felt while going through adolescence. It's about Kitty's experience growing up with a larger-than-life family. I absolutely recommend this one.
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund. Venomous, flesh-eating unicorns! Virgin unicorn hunters! Strong-minded heroines, close bonds of friendships, a couple cute boys, and the scenery of Rome! Crazy parents! This book is awesome. 100% recommended. I love this book. And can't wait for the next one.
Anyway. 5:15. Time to run. More books tomorrow!

mid-January already?

How did that happen? And here I was resolved to be a better blogger this year . . . Well, it's never too late to start, I suppose.
So, a little late, but here are my New Years resolutions:

• more writing
• less freelancing
• more time outside
• be more healthy (re: food and drink)
• more music
• finish watching Buffy
  

I think that's doable. There's also a list of writing goals for this year:

• submit Nor
• write cupcake truck Western novel
• write first novel in urban fantasy series
• outline entire urban fantasy series
• write three short stories
• edit the two shorts I wrote last year

Also doable, if I stay really focused. I'm already partially done editing one of the shorts from last year, have done some brainstorming on the novel, have an opening for the cupcake truck, and am only days away from submitting Nor. So. Here's hoping that this is a year of artistic productivity!
There are several books I read toward the end of last year, but didn't manage to blog about as work and freelancing were both moving at a breakneck pace. To get caught up, I'll try now to just list as many as I can recall and say if I liked it.
Splendor by Anna Godbersen: LOVED it. The concluding book in the Luxe series. So good, with a brilliant wrap-up to everything!
Poems of Anna Akhmatova: Interesting Russian poetry from around WWI. Good stuff.
Persepolis: brilliant graphic novel memoir. She was so ANGRY, and it just made such perfect sense.
The Bestiary by Nicholas Christopher: a slow starter for me, but by the end I was utterly entranced and inspired to do some reading on medieval bestiaries.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: Just utterly fantastic. Need I say more? I love that man's way with words.
Can't recall any more now, so I'll do the rest sometime this week. I ended the year at 52 or 53 books, which is great, so I'll set the goal of 50 books again for this year.
And now, editorial work is beckoning, so I'm off. Happy New Year everyone, and I'll be back soon!