Ex Libris Bitsy

I am so psyched for my second Dewey Read-a-Thon, and my third overall. For the last two I managed to stay up all 24 hours and had a lot of fun doing it. This time I’m aiming for the same and have a whole lot of books I’m ready to sink my teeth into throughout the day.

First up is a new to me manga series (that is finished!) From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa.

I’ve been eyeballing this one at the library all summer but just never got around to checking it out until now!

It’s an action/adventure fantasy romance about a girl that gets transported magically to a far away land where there is danger, a prophecy, and a man she just can’t stop thinking about.

The art is really alien-beautiful and the series looks really interesting, I can’t wait to give it a whirl.

Next up is a book that I actually discovered again thanks to this read-a-thon! Last time around a mini-challenge made me remember this book and this time around I went on a bit of a pilgrimage to get it just so that I would have it to read for this read-a-thon.

Seaward by Susan Cooper is a wonderful book that first got me interested in ancient mythology in non-Egyptian countries. It also could technically be considered my first ship!

It’s been a very long time since I read this book, so I barely remember anything that happens and I’m looking forward to the trip down memory lane.

And, in case I decide to get too comfortable, my third selection is an impulse library acquisition. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan has been talked about a lot in the book blogging world in the last year or so and it definitely has gotten my interest. So I’m finally biting the bullet and giving it a whirl.

I do not normally do this for books that are from an unfinished series, thank you Robert Jordan for scaring me off of that for life (may you rest in peace, though). Let’s hope granting this exception is well worth it!

I have several other odds and ends books waiting in the wings in case I get bored and frustrated. I think I will start with the manga to get a book or two under my belt early and then go from there. And, yes, I was stressed and pressed for time but I did make just one more button for the read-a-thon, and you are more than welcome to borrow it if you wish, I don’t mind.

Wow, that first hour flew by and I have already finished my first book! This series is hilarious and cute, I can’t wait to find out what happens in volume 2!

Mini-Challenge Hour 1

An introduction meme!

A tiny city outside of St. Louis.

My favorite color is green.
I enjoy collecting tea pots.
I have 22 books in my to be reviewed pile. Yikes!

I have 14 mangas set aside to be read and 2 books.

I’d like to get as close to finishing this manga series as possible and stay up for the full 24 hours!

Only take small doses of caffeine or else you will crash and burn. Don’t try and read lying down once you start to get stiff, just try a different chair. If you read lying down you will spend more time fighting sleep than reading!

Mini Challenge Hour 2

A childhood reading mini-challenge!

I loved Anne of Green Gables as well, I could have kicked myself for giving away those books when I grew up. I also loved The Box Car Children and Encyclopedia Brown. For this read-a-thon I am going back and reading a childhood favorite, Seaward by Susan Cooper. Actually the whole reason I remembered it to look up and read was thanks to a different mini-challenge back in April. Funny how that all worked out!

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 1 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 1
Pages read since last update: 189
Running total of pages read since you started: 189
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 1 hour
Mini-challenges completed: 2
Prize you’ve won: None

I’m well on my way into my second book and things are getting exciting. I can’t wait until we figure out more about the mysterious Izark and the world he is from. On to the mini-challenges!

Mini Challenge Hour 3

A six word celebration meme!

Freaking reading. How does it work?

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 1
Pages read since last update: 138
Running total of pages read since you started: 327
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 35 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 1 hour 35 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 3
Prize you’ve won: None

I finished my second book! And am nearly finished with my third. I’m really enjoying the twists and turns in the story, and also think that the main character was drawn very believably going from an average high school girl to a new life in a foreign world with a whole new language and everything on top of it. The art is beautiful too, I’m glad I finally picked this series up.

Mini Challenge Hour 4

An indie book meme!

From Far Away: Volume 1 by Kyoko Hikawa. Published by Viz Media. A Japanese owned manga publishing company (among other things). Read and finished in hour 1!

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 2 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 2
Pages read since last update: 162
Running total of pages read since you started: 489
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 50 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 2 hours 25 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 4
Prize you’ve won: None

I finally finished book three. It was hard because a little over half way through the author went off and told a story in the real world about completely unrelated characters. A mini story that had nothing to do with the main story at all, just a tangent short story that was told and wrapped up at the end of volume 3. It was kind of hard to push through those pages. I also have been noticing that this translation is not as nice as the translation that was done for Fullmetal Alchemist. Some of the dialogue is awkward to say the least and its starting to get to me in an otherwise really awesome story.

Mini Challenge Hour 5

A show me the books meme!

My books for the read-a-thon:

My books that I need to review (with some missing) I need a review-a-thon apparently:

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 3 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 3
Pages read since last update: 65
Running total of pages read since you started: 554
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 2 hours 55 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 5
Prize you’ve won: None

I’m almost finished with book four and I think after five mangas I will take a break and switch to Seaward for a few chapters. After I post this update I am breaking for some much needed lunch!

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 3
Pages read since last update: 128
Running total of pages read since you started: 682
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 45 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 3 hours 40 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 5
Prize you’ve won: None

That break was refreshing. I had a great lunch and finished my fourth book! The translation is bugging me, the author’s constant side notes pulling me out of the story are bugging me, but I just can’t stop reading because the story is intense and good! I’m going to be ready to break from it after finishing this one though.

Mini Challenge Hour 7

A book puzzle meme!

     

Can you guess?

And, an arm chair traveling meme!

I’ve mentioned on this blog before that I love the work of Francesca Lia Block, a writer who bases a lot of her stories in and around her home town of Los Angeles. I’ve posted reviews recently of Weetzie Bat, Witch Baby and Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys.

I loved her work so much I even made a pilgrimage of sorts to Los Angeles just to see the sights when I was seventeen. While the books made the city seem a lot more magical than it turned out to be, there was still that smell in the air of rich flowers and heat and the ocean, there was still the amazing and wonderful buildings and sidewalks and stars. Not to mention just a buzz in the air that I just loved soaking up while I was there. Here are some pictures I took.

If you ever get a chance to tour LA I really recommend it. Not just for the stars, but for the atmosphere itself. It’s really pretty cool.

Mini Challenge Hour 8

A Love to Hate meme!

My top five love to hates, in no particular order:

• Wickham (and Lydia)
• Voldemort (and Bellatrix)
• Edward (and Bella)
• Sauron (and Saurman)
• President Snow (and the Capital)

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 4 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 4
Pages read since last update: 170
Running total of pages read since you started: 852
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 4 hours 40 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 8
Prize you’ve won: None

Hurray! I finished book five! Except it ended at such an exciting part now I don’t want to switch books. No fair! Not sure what I will pick up next, but I am very happy with my progress so far today.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 5 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 5
Pages read since last update: 22
Running total of pages read since you started: 874
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 10 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 4 hours 50 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 8
Prize you’ve won: None

Well, I ended up picking up Seaward after all. It was a little difficult reading a regular book after reading manga, but I got into the swing of things and ended up not regretting it!

Mini Challenge Hour 10

A pet meme!

These are some pictures of my wonderful kitty The Grim Spectre of Death (or just Spec’). He is borderline neurotic and has been known to run in terror when an ant crawls across his paw. He is not in the least terrified of me or my husband though. I can stomp up to him and make myself big and roar at him and he will merely yawn.

          

And my favorite animal books were the Redwall Series, Martin was a main character in them.

Martin munches marvelous morsels, melees marauding mischief makers.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 5
Pages read since last update: 41
Running total of pages read since you started: 915
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 5 hours 50 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 9
Prize you’ve won: None

Switched back to reading the manga and finished my sixth book. Of course there is a love triangle. When isn’t there a love triangle? Also there’s dramz, and angst. Not surprised to hear that (according to the author) 99% of her readership is female. Still good though!

Mini Challenge Hour 12

A mid-event survey!

Just about to crack open From Far Away: Volume 7 by Kyoko Hikawa.

Six!

I’m looking forward to finishing off volume 10 of From Far Away and getting back to Seaward by Susan Cooper for five more chapters!

Just had to let people know. I ended up missing out on a city wide garage sale (I love garage sales!) and am going to have to wait until tomorrow to watch today’s episode of Merlin, a favorite TV show. My Saturdays are pretty lax actually.

Just my husband being incredibly bored. He became so bored he did ALL of the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. I should do read-a-thons more often.

I seem to be getting father along in my reading this time around than last. This is a much simpler manga though then last time. Also my regular book reading went much smoother too. It’s also an action/adventure fantasy romance so that helps. Less reader whip-lash.

You guys are doing a fantastic job. Keep up the great work!

I’m still have issues keeping track of the hours occasionally. I lost an entire hour somewhere and I have no idea where it went. If you find hour 11 for me will you let me know where I left it?

Yeah I got a little sleepy around 3PM but I had a second cup of tea and that helped pick me up a bit. I might try reading outside a bit now that the sun is setting and the bees are asleep.

Turn off your monitor after posting your updates! Wear a watch to keep track of the time. Less distractions from Email/Twitter/Blogs that way.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 6 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 6
Pages read since last update: 178
Running total of pages read since you started: 1093
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour 40 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 6 hours 30 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 9
Prize you’ve won: None

I’m a little over half way through Volume 7 and took a break to eat some delicious dinner. Now back to reading some more!

Mini Challenge Hour 13

A word scramble meme!

Firefly Lane

East of Eden

Water for Elephants

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Great Gatsby

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The Art of Caring in the Rain

The Time Travelers Wife

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

A Wrinkle in Time

The Polar Express

Love Walked In

Where The Wild Things Are

The Shining

Goodnight Moon

Interview with a Vampire

The Secret Life of Bees

The Search

The Help

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 6
Pages read since last update: 81
Running total of pages read since you started: 1174
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 20 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 6 hours 50 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 9
Prize you’ve won: None

I finished book number seven of From Far Away! How exciting, everything is out in the open now. Also, I can’t help reading echoes of Twilight into this, though obviously this was published a decade before Twilight came out. I guess I’m reading echoes of standard romance drama?

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 7 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 7
Pages read since last update: 97
Running total of pages read since you started: 1271
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 20 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 7 hours 10 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 11
Prize you’ve won: None

Things are starting to look grim in From Far Away. The side panels about cats the author comes across in her every day life that crop up every few pages are really throwing me off and don’t belong in this story at all. Bleh.

Mini Challenge Hour 15

A wordle meme!

This is from my entry for the Fairy Tale Friday meme for the story Little Red Riding Hood. I kinda posted a whole essay I had written concerning the origins and extended history through present day of just that one fairy tale. It’s also one of the most popular and most searched posts on my blog.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 7
Pages read since last update: 123
Running total of pages read since you started: 1394
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 8 hours 10 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

I finished my eighth book! Now I’m into book nine of From Far Away and the female lead is finally developing some butt kicking skills. It’s about time! I love how the realistic slow development was done though, so I guess I can’t complain.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 8 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 8
Pages read since last update: 135
Running total of pages read since you started: 1529
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 8 hours 40 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

Finished my ninth book, one more to go and then back to Seaward. My husband also baked me brownies for a midnight snack. Isn’t he so sweet?

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 9 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 9
Pages read since last update: 124
Running total of pages read since you started: 1529
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 9 hours 10 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

Progress is slowing way down as I’m starting to get very sleepy. My husband brewed me up a big thermos of tea which will probably last me the night. Not sure if it was out of consideration for me or for the other people in the house who might not appreciate the kettle whistling at 2AM!

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 9
Pages read since last update: 78
Running total of pages read since you started: 1607
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 35 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 9 hours 45 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

Hurray I finished book number 10! And now, a break and a switch to Seward for another five chapters. I need a break from this manga, it’s getting into the stretch before the final climax and it’s looking like it won’t pick up again anytime soon. It’s only a 14 book series though.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 10 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 10
Pages read since last update: 110
Running total of pages read since you started: 1717
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 55 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 10 hours 40 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

My eyes are seriously drooping, people. I’m having issues concentrating on my book no matter what chair or position I’m in. This is getting critical. I also keep thinking about how nice it would be to sleep and then almost start doing it. Not good! I read five more chapters of Seaward and am now halfway through. Time to get back to From Far Away for the last push to the end of the series! Wish me luck!

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 10
Pages read since last update: 45
Running total of pages read since you started: 1762
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 11 hours 40 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

I ended up taking a long break and zoned out to some music while working on my (fourth!) cup of tea. I did manage to get a bit of reading in though. I’ve slowed way down though and the tea and music didn’t help long term as much as I had hoped it would.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 10
Pages read since last update: 61
Running total of pages read since you started: 1823
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 15 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 11 hours 55 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

I finished book 11, just 3 books to go! I’m also feeling really good about making it now. Must have caught me second (third? fourth?) wind. It helps that the action is starting to pick back up in the series for the finish.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 11 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 11
Pages read since last update: 121
Running total of pages read since you started: 1944
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 25 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 12 hours 20 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 12
Prize you’ve won: None

Made decent progress on book 12, I don’t think I will finish the series at this rate though. I’m also taking a break to do some mini challenges this hour so…

Mini Challenge Hour 22

A side kick meme!

Some of my favorite sidekicks in From Far Away:

• Geena Haas

Come on, a blind seven year old that can see the future? How cool is that?

• Doros

He’s such a sweetie with his stutter. Plus he can tame any animal, how cool is that?

• Gaya

She was so nice to Izark when no one else was, plus she can kick butt with a sword. One of the few females that can kick any sort of butt at all in this series, which is seriously cool in my book.

Mini Challenge Hour 23

A made up word meme!

From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa

Farmfaroway (verb) To Flee and Farm

What did the farmer say to his wife? That she was driving him to Farmfaroway.

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: None
Number of books read since you started: 11
Pages read since last update: 133
Running total of pages read since you started: 2077
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 12 hours 50 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 14
Prize you’ve won: None

I finished book 12 and am about half way through book 13. I might finish 13 before the end of the read-a-thon, but I won’t be able to finish 14 and with it the series. I’m also too tired to stay up and do it anyway this morning. Sleep first, read later. Just gotta get to 7AM!

Reading Update

Title of book(s) read since last update: From far Away: Volume 12 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 12
Pages read since last update: 156
Running total of pages read since you started: 2233
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 50 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 13 hours 40 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 14
Prize you’ve won: None

Yay! I managed to finish 13 books! I only got a few pages into the final volume though. Things just started getting interesting with the huge big final plot twist but I’m really too tired to stick it out and finish. Later when I wake up again, in another eight hours or so I’ll pick it up again.

End of Event Meme

I guess Hour 11. I kind of lost it somewhere, I just read straight through it and forgot to stop to update and it was very disorienting and confusing and that made me feel a lot more tired than I knew I was at that point.

I definitely recommend The Hunger Games if there is anyone in the book blogging community that hasn’t read them yet. I also recommend graphic novels to help break up the day but I realize that a lot of book bloggers consider them picture books, not “real” books, and often consider them like adults consider children’s cartoons. Not worth watching, er, reading. So I feel like any personally recommended titles would fall flat as it is such a hot button issue and is so much up to personal taste.

None, you guys did a fantastic job! Keep up the great work!

I could tell there was a lot more delegating going on behind the scenes and no one person seemed to be in charge of too much or more then they could handle on a busy hectic day. I thought that worked out well.

Thirteen.

From Far Away Volumes 1-13 by Kyoko Hikawa

I really enjoyed the later books where Noriko was coming into her own and standing up for herself and learning how to work and operate in this whole other dimension.

Probably the earlier books where Noriko was shy and spent most of her time clinging and in tears. A really realistic rendering of a young teenage girl thrown into a new frightening world with terrifying monsters but the clinging continued for quite a while. Also I didn’t enjoy the part where she was a little forward in giving comfort to a boy and then got embarrassed about giving physical affection in public and admonished herself for forgetting her “shame” and not being a proper young lady.

N/A

I would love to host a mini challenge next time! I even have some books on my shelves that I would enjoy giving away as part of that. And, of course, I would love to read!

Final Reading Update!

Title of book(s) read since last update: From Far Away: Volume 13 by Kyoko Hikawa
Number of books read since you started: 13
Pages read since last update: 141
Running total of pages read since you started: 2374
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 40 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 14 hours 20 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: 14
Prize you’ve won: None