2012 in books

Device and device (Photo credit: icheb)

So, I remembered I had a blog that I neglected for a long time. The last one I posted here was dated December 2011. I got a whole year of no posts! To compensate, I’ll post what happened on my reading list during 2012… as far as what my Goodreads account tells me.

January: I posted a reading challenge for myself: 12 books for 2012. I told myself, a book a month, I can do this. After posting this challenge, I failed the first month. I didn’t start reading. I just procrastinated.

February: Fine, I’ll start. I downloaded a copy of the first book of The Romulan Wars: Beneath the Raptor’s Wing on my Kindle since I can’t find a copy in local bookstores. I followed it up with the second book, To Brave the Storm. Good, I finished two books, and I am on track. I challenged myself to read a hard SF. Since I enjoyed reading on my Kindle, another e-book is in order. I downloaded the first book of The Uplift Saga: Sundiver. I find the concept of uplift intriguing.

March: I don’t know why, but I haven’t finished Sundiver this month. Maybe it’s because the story is dragging? I don’t remember.

April: I finally finished Sundiver in the first week. After reviewing my current list, I finished The Time Traveler’s Wife. I liked both the book and the movie versions. Also, this month, I read American Gods. I asked myself why I didn’t buy this book after reading Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. It’s good that this book was on a discount on the Amazon Kindle store during that month. Also discounted that month was the first book of the Sword of Truth: Wizard’s First Rule. As a friend said, this was my first foray with thick books. I put it down for a few days to read the second Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations book, Forgotten History. Five stars go to Mr. Bennett, as usual.

May: I’m still reading Wizard’s First Rule. I squeezed a few days into reading Tune in Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries, which I bought at a discount at the Kindle store. After reading this, I imagined traveling to countries where English is not as prevalent. It would be a challenge, I thought.

June to August: Real life interfered with my reading. I occasionally read Wizard’s First Rule during those days. Again, that was a very “thick” book.

tonight’s pre and in-flight reading material via bluemask2099

September: I was back at our main office (in La Union, for those who ask), and I had to stay at the family home while I was there. Since I don’t have internet at home (my phone can only access Twitter), I was back on my reading list. The latest Star Trek release, the Voyager novel The Eternal Tide, is the first stop. I made an experiment by tweeting my side comments while reading this book. It was fun to do, but it was slowing down my reading pace. After reading another Kindle book, I told myself to make a dent in my paperback pile. I picked up The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. Yes, I also read books other than science fiction and fantasy. I also picked up one of those Star Trek paperbacks that was collecting dust on my pile: Seize the Fire, a Typhon Pact novel featuring the crew of Star Trek: Titan. I previously blogged one of those novels in 2011. That was a long time between reading those books. I finished this one in early October.

October: I decided to finally catch up with Star Trek novels, starting with Star Trek: Titan – Fallen Gods, the direct sequel of Seize the Fire, and Star Trek: Typhon Pact novels Plagues of the Night, Raise the Dawn, and Brinkmanship, all on the Kindle since the local bookstore that might carry these books is in Metro Manila which is far from where I was that time. I also read the Doctor Who: The Angel’s Kiss novella.

November: I returned to Wizard’s First Rule only to put it down again to read the latest from Star Trek: the first book of Cold Equations, The Persistence of Memory. As usual, Mr. Mack delivers. Finally, I finished Mr. Goodkind’s book this month. One word: “thick”.

December: I finished the second book of Cold Equations, Silent Weapons. Also finished this month was Supernatural: Bobby Singer’s Guide to Hunting. I say this is the best Supernatural tie-in book so far. Finally, I also finished reading The Halfling’s Gem, the sixth book of The Legend of Drizzt. I read the last Drizzt book years ago, and this book has been collecting dust for quite a while now.

Also, in 2012, I discovered The Book Depository, where I can order books online and be delivered for free. The first book I bought was Idlewild by Nick Sagan. It will be on my 2013 reading list, I swear. I won my first free book from Goodreads, Becoming a Superhero, signed by author Oliver Galang, in December. I will resume reading this after the holiday break.

My signed copy of Becoming a Superhero by Oliver Galang arrived earlier this week. via bluemask2099

So, what happened to my reading challenge? I read 20 books in 2012, way past my 12-book mark. Not bad. I will raise that number for my 2013 challenge. I hope I can make it.

I also hope to maintain regular posting on this blog this time. See you next time.

: http://promdigeek.blogspot.com/2013/01/2012-in-books.html