Pet Peeves

1. I can't talk about work on my blog. Or I won't. There's so much I could say, but I won't jeopardize my job, or my work, because I love both. Hence a lot of the silence around these parts.

2. People who capitalize random words (in English). German? Fine. Nouns are capitalized in German (or so says my friend who is fluent in all aspects of German). Everything I work with is in English, and the people I work with are largely native English speakers (in theory. I doubt the Brits actually know the English language).

3. People who use apostrophes to pluralize words. The plural of word is words. Not word's. I get that "1950s" feels weird and you want to write "1950's." Wrong, but at least I can understand that. I can also understand if you don't get the difference between girl's rights (a singular girl and the rights accorded to her) and girls' rights (the rights accorded to all girls), but the plural of a word NEVER requires an apostrophe unless it's also in possession of something.

4. People who don't use the Oxford comma. It's not necessary, but it is nice. Related, people who stack lists within lists and don't use semicolons for the primary list. I swear I posted this before, but I can't find it (and I really should stop procrastinating).

Can you tell I've been editing a lot lately?

I should get back to work. I'm meeting a friend for cake and coffee around 2pm so I can escape the (not relentless but still irritating) drilling and banging that's coming from our cellar. We're having it tanked, so there are workmen there, not ghosts. At least I'm not aware of any ghosts.

2015 Reading List: February-May

Yup, definitely a new year but the same problems, namely that working full-time+ cuts into my reading time. I'm pretty sure I've missed some, but maybe not. I skipped two of the books for the reading group over the last couple of months. The first one I just couldn't get into; some of the women seemed to enjoy it (despite the mocking we gave it when it came up), but I just had no interest. The other one was Magaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which I skipped because I've read it at least half a dozen times in my life and I love it so much, but I was trying to finish Quiet (which is good, but slow, and dense reading) so I could return it to my co-worker.

UNTIL THIS POST

15. Kissing Under the Mistletoe, by Marina Adair (St. Helena Vineyard Series #1)
14. Signal Boost, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #2)
13. Radio Silence, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #1)
12. Isa and May, by Margaret Forster (for reading group. I thought it dull, they loved it)
11. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (for reading group)
10. The Kingmaker's Daughter, by Philippa Gregory (Book #4 of The Cousins' War)
9. Raven Black, by Ann Cleeves (Book #1 in the Shetland Quartet) (for reading group, and we've gotten these out of order)

FEBRUARY

8. Raging Heat, by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #6. Still making assumptions about who ghostwrites.)
7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain

JANUARY

6. Jericho Season 4, by Kalinda Vazquez (graphic novel continuation of the TV show)
5. What Zoey Doesn't Know, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #3.5)
4. Hidden Holidays, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #2.5)
3. Ill-Conceived Magic, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short, #1.5)
2. Demons in My Driveway, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #5)
1. Golem in my Glovebox, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #4)

2015 Reading List: January

New year, new list, same lack of accuracy. Woo! And yes, I REALLY dig the Monster Haven books. I'm distraught that the last one isn't out until March. And that it's the last one. Seriously great books: great characters and world, decent plots, decent writing. Fun, easy reads, with characters that really stick with you (everyone needs a closet monster named Maurice!).

JANUARY

6. Jericho Season 4, by Kalinda Vazquez (graphic novel continuation of the TV show)
5. What Zoey Doesn't Know, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #3.5)
4. Hidden Holidays, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #2.5)
3. Ill-Conceived Magic, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short, #1.5)
2. Demons in My Driveway, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #5)
1. Golem in my Glovebox, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #4)

2014 Reading List: November/December

Been a bit busy. Thanksgiving, an additional 30 hours on our return travel time (that's 30 hours on top of the 18 hours it should have taken us), Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's, and work. Sigh... Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), the list is probably not complete, or strictly accurate as to when I finished things.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

42. Fairies in My Fireplace, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #3)
41. Pooka in My Pantry, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #2)
40. Monster in My Closet, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #1)
39. Wool-Part One, by Hugh Howey
38. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James (it seriously took me over 3 years to finish this. I'm not planning on reading the other two any time soon, if ever)
37. Horrorstör, by Grady Hendrix
36. My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, by Annabel Pitcher (for reading group)
35. The Glass Room, by Simon Mawer (for reading group)

OCTOBER

34. Robopocalypse, by Daniel H. Wilson
33. Jericho, Season 3: Civil War (graphic novel, a continuation of the TV show)

SEPTEMBER

32. The Birth of Venus, by Sarah Dunant (for reading group)
31. The Clairvoyant Countess, by Dorothy Gilman
30. Anita and Me, by Meera Syal (for reading group. The lack of these was due to problems getting copies of anything for the group. Also, I was late finishing this one)
29.  An Acceptable Time, by Madeleine L'Engle (fifth written of the Time Quintet)

AUGUST

*28. Many Waters, by Madeleine L'Engle (fourth written of the Time Quintet)
*27. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeleine L'Engle (third written of the Time Quintet)
26. Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale, by Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon, and Chris Samnee (graphic novel)
Elmer and the Hippos, by David McKee (since it's a kid's book and took 5 minutes, doesn't count)
*25. A Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L'Engle (second written of the Time Quintet)
*24. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle (first written of the Time Quintet)

JULY

23. Broken Homes, by Ben Aaronovitch (Peter Grant Series #4)
22. The Kill Order, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy prequel. Do not read this.)
21. Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow (you should read this. It's an interesting successor to its namesake, Orwell's 1984)

JUNE

20. Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, by John Scalzi
19. The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith (pen name for J. K. Rowling)
18. Death Cure, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #3)
17. The Scorch Trials, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #2)
16. Tipping the Velvet, by Sarah Waters (for reading group)

MAY
15. The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James (for reading group)

APRIL

14. Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg (for reading group)
*13. The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks

MARCH

12. Goliath, by Scott Westerfeld (Book 3 of the Leviathan Trilogy)
11. Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld (Book 2 of the Leviathan Trilogy)
*10. The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney
9. Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld (Book 1 of the Leviathan Trilogy)

FEBRUARY

8. Bitter Blue, by Cath Staincliffe (Sal Kilkenny Series #6) (for reading group)
7. For My Own: A Contemporary Christmas Anthology (contains three novellas: A Christmas for Carrie by Alison Packard, Christmas Curveball by Shari Mikels, and Kissing Her Scrooge by Kinley Cade)
6. Catching Heat (Feeling the Heat), by Alison Packard
5. The Maze Runner, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #1)
4. Walking Home, Travels with a Troubadour on the Pennine Way, by Simon Armitage (for reading group)

JANUARY

3. The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente
2. Edible History: Easy Recipes for Homemade Mother of Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Wine Vinegar, by Cassandra Cookson (short, but I want to make my own apple cider vinegar. Probably won't, but want to.)
1. Zeus of Ithome, by T. E. Taylor (written by one of the guys in my writer's group. Really great guy, enjoyable book.)

2014 Reading List: October

I'm sure I read more last month, but since I can't figure out what, life goes on. That said, I'm sure I've read Death Comes to Pemberly at some point in the last year or so, but I can't find that either. Meh. I work full time+ now, so I don't have as much time to read these days. Bit sad, but at least I still read plenty.

OCTOBER

34. Robopocalypse, by Daniel H. Wilson
33. Jericho, Season 3: Civil War (graphic novel, a continuation of the TV show)

SEPTEMBER

32. The Birth of Venus, by Sarah Dunant (for reading group)
31. The Clairvoyant Countess, by Dorothy Gilman
30. Anita and Me, by Meera Syal (for reading group. The lack of these was due to problems getting copies of anything for the group. Also, I was late finishing this one)
29.  An Acceptable Time, by Madeleine L'Engle (fifth written of the Time Quintet)

AUGUST

*28. Many Waters, by Madeleine L'Engle (fourth written of the Time Quintet)
*27. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeleine L'Engle (third written of the Time Quintet)
26. Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale, by Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon, and Chris Samnee (graphic novel)
Elmer and the Hippos, by David McKee (since it's a kid's book and took 5 minutes, doesn't count)
*25. A Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L'Engle (second written of the Time Quintet)
*24. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle (first written of the Time Quintet)

JULY

23. Broken Homes, by Ben Aaronovitch (Peter Grant Series #4)
22. The Kill Order, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy prequel. Do not read this.)
21. Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow (you should read this. It's an interesting successor to its namesake, Orwell's 1984)

JUNE

20. Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, by John Scalzi
19. The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith (pen name for J. K. Rowling)
18. Death Cure, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #3)
17. The Scorch Trials, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #2)
16. Tipping the Velvet, by Sarah Waters (for reading group)

MAY
15. The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James (for reading group)

APRIL

14. Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg (for reading group)
*13. The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks

MARCH

12. Goliath, by Scott Westerfeld (Book 3 of the Leviathan Trilogy)
11. Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld (Book 2 of the Leviathan Trilogy)
*10. The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney
9. Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld (Book 1 of the Leviathan Trilogy)

FEBRUARY

8. Bitter Blue, by Cath Staincliffe (Sal Kilkenny Series #6) (for reading group)
7. For My Own: A Contemporary Christmas Anthology (contains three novellas: A Christmas for Carrie by Alison Packard, Christmas Curveball by Shari Mikels, and Kissing Her Scrooge by Kinley Cade)
6. Catching Heat (Feeling the Heat), by Alison Packard
5. The Maze Runner, by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #1)
4. Walking Home, Travels with a Troubadour on the Pennine Way, by Simon Armitage (for reading group)

JANUARY

3. The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente
2. Edible History: Easy Recipes for Homemade Mother of Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Wine Vinegar, by Cassandra Cookson (short, but I want to make my own apple cider vinegar. Probably won't, but want to.)
1. Zeus of Ithome, by T. E. Taylor (written by one of the guys in my writer's group. Really great guy, enjoyable book.)