"I have operations which be humours of revenge!" *

I just finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo. It was my summer reading project and I am so glad it did not take me all summer! It was a very good book, although very different from the movie. At first I thought it was a bad thing, because it made it longer, more complicated and drawn out, but once I reached the exciting revengy ending all the suspense and slow build up was worth it. It made the revelations and revenges so much more meaningful and earned. I really felt for the characters, and the end was really very engaging which made up for the slowish middle. I have to say I loved this book. I don't think I shall be reading it again, just because of how long it is, but I think it shall remain a favourite.

Now on to the other books in my TBR pile who have been waiting patiently. I hear them calling...Adieu!**

Edit: Ahhh, I completly forgot to mention the quote I wanted to share. I even sticky note tabbed it for easy reference! Well I shall share it now.

Thus at length, by one of those unexpected strokes of fortune which sometimes
occur to those on whom an evil destiny has for a long time vented its spleen...
(190, Ch 3)

OR in other words..."Thus at length, by one of those unexpected strokes of fortune which sometime happens to those who have been often been farted upon by evil..."

Ahhaha....it made me laugh out loud :)

Interesting to note is that when I tried to find that quote at online-literature.com it was DIFFERENT :O and much less humourus.

Thus, at length, by one of the unexpected strokes of fortunewhich sometimes
befall those who have for a long time beenthe victims of an evil destiny...

Thats not very funny.

---

* from Merry Wives of Windor, spoken by the character Pistol in act 1 scene 3 i think?

** Influence from the Merry Wives of Windsor actually, and not Count of Monte Cristo. Tho the phrase "ma foi" is stuck in my head due to both MWW and Count of Monte Cristo as at least one character in both use that phrase and I was/am imersed in both at the same time and yeah.

And Done!

I finished the 48 Hour Book Challenge this morning at 11 o'clock. Sadly I did not finish the book I was reading, though I was very close. I was reading Dragonhaven by Robin Mckinley, a book I had been looking forward to reading ever since I heard it was coming out because I am a big Robin Mckinley fan. I was waiting to buy the paperback but this weekend I broke down and just took it out from the library. I figured it was a much cheaper option considering how much of my nearly non-existent money I had spent on books lately. So far however it is really good and it is just too tempting to add it to my Mckinley collection so when I find it in paperback I may just buy it anyways.

Since I havn't finished the book I cannot give a very good reveiw, but so far I think it is living up to her previous books that I have adored. The way its written and how the story is told as if the main character was writing it down after everything had happened is very effective. I can't wait to finish it!

Hours: 10 Hrs, 10 Mins + 7 Hrs = 17 Hrs, 10 Mins

Total Books Read = 3 (and 3/4)

Total Pages Read=327(WS) + 325(L) + 376(RN) + 256(D) = 1284

Funny how the least amount of pages read took the most time. I guess the pages were a little bigger, but I was also probably getting a little tired.

All in all I really enjoyed taking (most) of this weekend off to read, and I would love to do it again next year, but hopefully with my full health and less busy weekend. :D

48 Hour Book Challange - The Red Necklace

I never thought I would make it through the three books I most wanted to read this weekend, but I have!

The Red Necklace - Sally Gardner

A historical work of fiction set during the French revolution. With a little twist on reality, many of the charcters in the novel can work magic, read minds, tell the future, or move objects with their minds. Not in a huge obvious Harry Potter kind of way but a quite secret way that makes you believe as if that kind of magic is possible. The main focus of the book is not however the magic - it is the characters and their struggle to survive during the revolution. My university mind clicked in and began noticing a theme, that of the "sheep". Many times through out the novel people are described as sheep, blindly following the herd even though the herd is headed towards slaughter. I thought this was a very well written book, one that I believe could be studied in school to educational benifit and to the students enjoyment.

Hours: 5 hrs, 30 Mins + 4 Hrs, 40 Mins = 10 Hrs, 10 Mins

Edit: I forgot to add; so far all three of my books have mentioned Shakespeare. Wondrous Strange used Midsummer Nights Dream heavily in its plot, A Midsummer Nights Dream was briefly mentioned in Lament, and in The Red Necklace an acter quoted Shakespeare. It is tempting to continue the Shakespeare trend but the only other Shakespeare related book in my TBR pile is "Othello" and I don't feel quite like tackeling that at the moment...

48 Hour Challange - Lament

My second read of the 48 Hour book challenge (first whole book) was Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament". This has been on my TBR pile for some time, and half of me is kicking myself for waiting so long to read it, the other half is quite happy that I do not have to wait as long for the sequal. It's release date is still to far away (a WHOLE summer!!) but it will be worth it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought I might be faeried out after Wondrous Strange, but this book did a original take on fearies I thought. They were still faeries, but it felt different somehow. Ms. Stiefvater's writing style was very fun to read, the voice of Deirdre felt real and unique. And Luke. Such a cutie. It was a suspensful and entertaining read and I would recommend it to fans of faeries or romance, or just YA.

Hours: 1 Hr, 50 Min + 3 Hrs, 40 Min = 5 Hr, 30 Min

48 Hour Challange - Wondrous Strange

I started this book before the challange, but did not get a chance to finish it before and I couldn't just abandon it sooo my first book completed is really only half a book.

Wondrous Strange - Lesley Livington

I have wanted to read this one since it first came out in hardcover, but I waited to buy it untill it came out cheaper in paperback. Wasn't happy to learn the paperback was 20 dollars anyways, but I still went ahead and bought it. What drew me to it was its beautiful cover and the use of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream (a play that holds a special place in my heart). The fact that the main character was an actress was also very cool.

The story itself was pretty good, but besides the Shakespeare element it didn't strike me as too memoriable. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in faeries, or in Shakespeare's plays (At least MSND)

Total hours so far: 1 Hr, 50 Min

And... Go!

This morning decided to bless me with the beginings of a cold. Joy. But this shall not stop me from attempting MotherReaders Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challange. I believe it may actually be an asset... for instance

Mother: Come do the dishes!
Me: Can't *coughcough* I'm sick! *continues to read*

All though I was not able to completly clear my schedual (work, a play to attend, staff party... come to think of it this is one of my more social weekends... >.>) I shall do my best! If any thing this will give me a good excuse to maybe finish even one or two books from my TBR pile.

Edit:

I guess I should state what my 48 hours will be. I started at 11:00 Friday morning and will finish 11:00 Sunday.

City of Glass - Cassandra Clare

Today after work I decided I was going to sit down and finish reading City of Glass (not to say that I had to force myself to read this one - quite the opposite). I took my book outside, enjoyed the sunshine, and enjoyed the last quater of this very good book.

It begins days after the the last one ended, and shoots you right back into the plot of the series, with the usual bits of narative to remind you of things, but done in a way that didn't feel like it was being shoved down your throat for the third time.

It had action, suspense, mystery, angst, death, love, and a happy ending. **Spoiler** The first time I read books one and two I was not happy with the idea of Jace and Clary. I wanted Clary and Simon together, period. Second time reading it, I knew what to expect and that made me more open to the Jace/Clary pairing. So I am actually very glad that Clary and Jace weren't siblings afterall. **End Spoiler**

This book was better than the second, and on par with the first. Overall it is a very good series for anyone who likes action/supernatural type stories with plently of drama and magic.

I think I just may have falling back into my reading niche. Yay for City of Glass for pushing me back in! To Be Read pile here I come!