Top Ten Tuesday

This week I have decided to participate in

Click the Picture to join in

and the topic for this week is:

Top Ten Bookish Resolutions 

1. Review more manga:  I read manga ALL the time... and do I usually review it? No. Why not? Because I read so much of it, and so fast... that often I forget about it because I'm already trying to work on my next book review... so I am going to try to be better about sharing the manga I do read with the rest of you.
2.  Check out more Library books:  My boyfriend WORKS at a library for goodness sake... all I have to do is ask him to pick me something up. I *have* been asking him to check me out Terry Pratchett audio books (how many times have I listened to the Wee Free Men now?!) but I need to utilize this option more.
3. Work hard to keep to my "daily theme":  This is something new that I've just implemented this year, in an effort to try to keep my blog posts on track. Often I feel like I'm just flailing about, trying to remember to do this or that. Well... now I have a schedule. :)
4. Buy Bookshelves:  Oh yeah, it's time. I have too many books, not enough bookshelves.
5. Buy a Kindle:  I have all these awesome downloads waiting for me at NetGalley... but I can't... CAN'T (thanks to migraines) read pdfs on my computer... and I'm certainly not going to print them all out! So... it's time to bite the bullet and buy a Kindle.
6. Work on my review style:  Right now I'm ok with my review style, but I'm not loving it. I've set it up in an 'answer the question' sort of style, mostly so people reading my reviews can just skip to the parts they're interested in. I HATE when I'm reading a review and can't ever actually find the person's opinion on the book... I'm going for ease for the reader here. At the same time though, I want a more informed review. I've read some really wonderfully intelligent reviews and I feel mine are still just sort of namby-pamby and stupid sounding. I need to work harder.
7. Really *think* about why do I or don't like a book:  A lot of times, when I finish a book, I just have this gut feeling about my overall attitude towards it. "It was boring" "The characters were lame" "I really loved this" "It was action packed"... but responses like that really aren't any better than reviews that say "OMGZ I LUV THIS!"... and that bothers me. I've read reviews by bloggers who have HATED books I love... and after reading their reviews, I sat there thinking, "Oh, yeah, I absolutely see where they're coming from..." and can agree with them... while still loving the book. So I'd really like to spend more time focusing on the whys, and what informs those whys, and where they come from... and how I can write my reviews so as to get the right person to the right book... and not just direct everyone to a book that I love because I love it for reasons I can't even explain to myself.
8. Work on the style of my book blog:  I think it could be a little cooler. I've seen quite a lot of blogs with some pretty neat features. I don't want it to be confusing though. I've also stumbled across A LOT of really confusing to navigate book blogs, and to be honest, when I can't find something after about 30 seconds, I give up.
9. Research and participation:  The book blogging world requires quite a lot of research and participation. I need to sit down and schedule time to work on this book blogging stuff... not just throw it in when I can fit it.
10. Read Faster:  I average about a book a week... but, I want to read more. I've set my goal for this year at 55 books. I want to surpass that. At the same time though, I don't want to miss out on aspects of the story because I was reading too fast. GAH.

 

Now on to "Currently Reading Tuesday" 

 

 Right now I'm reading Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It's a steampunk novel, and I've never read one of those before, and so far, I'm loving it. There are interesting little mechanical gadgets everywhere, and I can just imagine the outfits, with the worn leather and faded colors.

The story itself is pretty interesting. It's set back in Civil War period Seattle, and the city has been destroyed, divided, and in some parts, overrun with zombies.

Last night I just finished up The Walking Dead: Compendium 1... and I have to say, Compendium 1 went out with a bang. A terrifying, terrifying bang. This one is a good read, but not for the weak stomached. There is blood, gore, violence of all kinds, sex, and murder. Not to mention sadistic acts, insanity and overall wickedness of the human spirit.

 

 

I also am reading Bakuman!... which is the next Manga by the creators of Deathnote. So far, it's pretty entertaining, although I am suspicious of it taking a darker turn. I'm not sure it will... but considering the source of its creation (Deathnote was pretty dark) and the fact that there are already obviously insane characters in it... I'm a bit worried that I'm going to see these main boys spiral into insanity... then again... a friend of mine read the same series in Shonen Jump and said to me, "Is it wrong I just thought it was an uplifting story of two boys trying really hard?" and I told her, "No, no it is not. I hope that's what it is" :)