Current reads.

I haven't updated in a while -- not because I haven't read, but mostly because I haven't had a chance (or the energy) to log the books I've finished on here. I keep track of everything I've read in a physical booklog as well, as eventually what I've read will make its way (usually in a more detailed form) onto this blog. I've been dealing with a lot of health issues lately though and I've barely had the energy to work nevermind read or update this blog, but I'm hoping that getting back into the things that I enjoy might help me start to feel better.

I thought I might start off again just with a brief rundown of what I currently have on my reading plate. I usually read a LOT (A LOT) of books at once, so even though this list might seem lengthy, it's actually pretty small compared to what I normally have going on at the same time.



I picked up Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem because we had read an excerpt from it in my Philosophy in Literature course a couple of years ago and I found it very compelling. It was available when I made my fancy, shiny new library card at the Carnegie Library here in Pittsburgh (we moved to PBGH about a month ago) and I thought now was as good a time as any to read the whole thing. So far it's been dry, but I'm at the beginning still and I'm still optimistic about it. In any case, it is not as dry as the little book on relativism that I bought a few years back and never got around to -- I'm actually not sure if I can make myself finish it, that's how yawnful it is. Clive Barker's Coldheart Canyon is similarly boring -- this is actually much more shocking to me because I am a secret Barker fanboy and have liked basically everything I've ever read by him, even the really creepy, icky stuff, so to not be immediately absorbed by his writing is kind of disturbing. I suppose I'll finish it though, because I want to be familiar with all of his writing.



I picked up The Monstrumologist because some friends of mine had given it such great reviews, and the book of short gothic stories for young adults was a spur-of-the-moment library checkout because I spied it on the shelf and short horror stories are my thing. Darren Shan's Lord Loss was obligatory at the library because I loved his vampire series and wanted to give more of his writing a shot. So far the short stories have been actually REALLY decent, good-quality stuff. I'm pleasantly surprised. I have to say I wasn't expecting it. I haven't started the other two yet.



Finally, Cinda Williams Chima's The Warrior Heir I picked up a couple of summers ago at a yard sale and didn't get around to reading and I'm trying to polish it off in my attempt to start downsizing my personal library and pruning books I don't need or want. After I finish it I plan on giving it away, unless I really wind up enjoying it -- so far it's kind of just okay.

So that's what's going on right now with my personal reading. I'm actually just about finished with a few other books that are part of the pile that I read aloud to my boyfriend at night while he paints or works or what have you, and I want to have reviews for those available too. Most of them are re-reads that I thought he might enjoy, but most of them do not already have a review on this blog and I'm trying to be comprehensive in my logging!