Read-a-Thon Prep
Hooray! I’m sure everyone already knows it, no thanks to my lax blogging, but it’s read-a-thon** time! Tomorrow!
I really enjoyed last year’s read-a-thon, and while I didn’t stay up for the entire 24 hours (nor will I be able to, most likely, this time), I think if I can get through tomorrow without, say, every fire alarm in the house going off for an hour and a half starting one minute before the read-a-thon (to pick an example entirely at random), we’ll call it a win.
In hopes of reducing the flooding of people’s feed readers and keeping the clutter off my front page, I’m going to just have one read-a-thon post that I’ll edit with updates every hour – so keep coming back!
I’m well-prepared, I think. I have meals that can be made quickly and eaten with a book in hand, and I have a wide variety of snacks (cinnamon sugar pita chips, cheese-its, apples and taffy apple dip, gummy worms, etc.) and beverages laid in. I have cleared my schedule of obligations (I think.) I might even have a friend who will come over and read with me for a while, so that I don’t feel completely anti-social all day long.
I don’t have a book stack per se, although I did re-arrange my bookshelves last weekend so that all of my TBR books are on the outside for easy viewing and retrieval. I’ve also got a list of books that have caught my eye as good possibilities:
ARCs and other “need to reads” that I actually want to read:
– The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. Doesn’t that cover just scream “Read me! Read me now!”?
– Darkwood by M. E. Breen
– Exodus by Julie Bertagna. Technically not an ARC, but I’ve got an ARC of the sequel, so this one needs to get read first.
YA books that have been calling my name:
– Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
– The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
– 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
– Midnighters: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld
Adult books that I think will be quick-reading if I need a break from the kiddie stuff:
– California Demon by Julie Kenner
– High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
– The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
Last year I also found myself craving non-fiction towards the middle of the day. Anybody see a likely candidate on the list?
Short story books that I might dip in and out of:
– M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
– The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, Twelfth Annual Collection edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. I’ve been browsing this for almost a year now, but have still only read two of the stories. Time to get cracking.
Books for late at night when my attention is zero, but it doesn’t matter anyways because they’re re-reads, it’s just that I read them long enough ago that I need to refresh my memory before I read the sequels, which are already sitting on my shelves:
– His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
– Tithe by Holly Black
Graphic novels for even later at night when my attention span is less than zero:
– The Book of Ballads by Charles Vess. Technically not a graphic novel per se, but it’s all I’ve got unless whoever has the first volume of Jack of Fables returns it to the library toot suite (it was due yesterday, and I’m first on the hold list. Hrmph.)
Audiobooks:
– Apologize, Apologize! by Elizabeth Kelly. My LT Early Reviewer book from March; I’m a disc and a half in and it’s hilarious so far… plus will be good for reading while knitting (or crocheting – I donated a market bag in the winner’s choice of color as a read-a-thon prize, despite the fact that I have a half-finished market bag of my own sitting around looking forlorn), or taking a walk, to give my eyes a break.
What do you think, readers? Any of those books strike you as terribly good or terribly bad ideas? Are you read-a-thon-ing? What are you most looking forward to?
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**…which I am apparently incapable of typing as “-thon”, having typed it EVERY TIME as “read-a-thong.” Which would also be interesting, albeit in an entirely different way.
Fyrefly's Book Blog 
Good luck with the read-a-thon!
I have an ARC of Deliverance Dane too! I’m not including it in my list though. I have too many April release books that need to be read first.
You’ve got some good choices! I really enjoyed HIGH FIDELITY, myself, and I remember it as a wicked quick read. (It’s been a few years). TITHE and HIS MAJESTY’S DRAGON are also really good, and you already know my feelings on the YBF&H anthologies. :)
I’d forgotten about your little adventure last year. Deliverance Dane is a good choice, I read it recently and was pretty engrossed.
I am planning on participating unofficially. Good luck with your reading!
Hey, The Fourth Bear! Hahaha! I just mentioned it awhile back :) Really funny and yet I found it better than the first book.
Aside from Fforde’s, I read four others from your list so I’m quite sure you’ll have fun with them, one way or another (assuming you pick them tomorrow).
Get some rest and have fun with your books!
You have some good books to choose from! Happy reading!!
This will be my first read-a-thon, so I really have no advice about your book selections. Everyone is more prepared than I am it seems! Ah well, I am jumping in with my eyes closed.
I’m with Serena. We both sort of decided to sign up last minute. My daughter and I will be participating together. I don’t think we’ll last the 24 hours (to be honest, she’ll probably last longer than I will) but we’ll have fun trying. I’ll be pulling out some short-ish books when I get home from work. Have a great time!
Good luck, Fyrefly! And above all, have fun! I haven’t read any of those other than M is for Magic, both the YAs that have been calling your name all sound like good ideas to me.
If you get to High Fidelity, I am really, really curious to see what you think about it. I absolutely love the movie. My husband is so many parts of each of the major male characters (less Jack Black than the others, though.). I’m going to have fun participating myself, even if it is mainly during the middle of the night. Good luck to us all!
bermudaonion – Thanks! Should be fun!
Meghan – I’m in a bind… the other two ARCs have earlier release dates, but Deliverance Dane arrived first, plus it just looks *so good*!
Memory – Since I seem to keep acquiring YBF&Hs (darn bookcloseouts!), I figured I should maybe read at least one of them. :)
DoB – If nothing else, the fire alarm at least made a good story. ;)
Lenore – I hope you have a good time for as much as you’re able to participate!
Lightheaded – And it was your comment that made me go “ooh, that’d be a good book for the readathon!”
Serena – I think I over-prep, but that’s probably because I like making book lists. As long as you have some snacks and a stack of books handy, you’re ready to go.
Anna – Making it a family event – very cool! I hope you and your daughter both have a great time!
Nymeth – I’m overly amused that that list wound up with 13 Little Blue Envelopes right next to a book cover featuring a little blue envelope. :)
LH – I haven’t seen the movie, nor have I read any Hornby other than About a Boy, but people keep telling me I’ll love it. Good luck to you and your middle-of-the-night reading; middle-of-the-night is probably going to be when I give up and go to bed!
As far as your non-fiction list goes, Holy Blood Holy Grail was pretty interesting when I read it a couple of years back. And Bill Bryson is always a fun choice!
I’m participating as a reader and cheerleader. Good luck tomorrow.
You know this already since it’s a re-read, but His Majesty’s Dragon is a fantastic book. I need to re-visit as well.
Good luck with the readathon! I’m not participating this time around since I won’t be home, but I’ll be with you guys in spirit.
Oh! Oh! The Book of Ballads strikes me as a perfect kind of book for the read-a-thon! Though, of course the only books I really know are the ones that are rereads for you. ^-~ I hope you’ll enjoy them when/if you get them reread! ^-^
Have fun reading!
I’m looking forward to your thoughts on Maureen Johnson’s book. I read Let It Snow and have been trying to decide which of MJ’s full novels to read first!