I was so looking forward to a fantasy novel set in mesoamerica that was actually good.

Have you heard of Aliette de Bodard's series starting with Servant of the Underworld? I thought it was quite good. . . ;)

I just looked that up only to find it's already on my list, hah! I'm glad you liked it because that means I more than likely will, as well.

It is coming down to the wire.  I am halfway through Howl's Moving Castle.  If I can finish it before the end of tomorrow, I will have finished the light challenge without any duplicate books.  So far I am really enjoying the book; the tone is really interesting.  I don't exactly know how to describe it, but the narrator's voice is really different.  I think part of it is how positive she is.  She has had a lot of bad things happen to her, but she just takes it in stride and there is never really any moping or complaining.  It is quite the change from a lot of the books I have read recently, which seem to be in some kind of secret emo contest, where the winner is the protagonist who can have the most internal pain and suffering.    I don't know that either extreme is that realistic, but I know which one I am tired of reading.  Plus, if I was looking for realism, I wouldn't be reading the book with the fire demon and flying castle on the cover.  

I have officially completed the light challenge... yay me. I just completed Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight. I clearly spent too much time reading crap that didn't count towards the challenge. I hope to do better next year. 

I just finished Howl's Moving Castle.  It was very good.  I would say a 4 out of 5.  That completes the light challenge.  I will have to see how I do next year.  Like Allyson, I spent too much time reading crap.  Unlike Allyson, I have no expectations to fix that next year : )

Congrats Allyson and Davies!

I only have to read 1 1/2 more books before midnight tomorrow to complete the regular challenge. . . ;D

Is it really crap if you're enjoying yourself? 

Congrats, Allyson and Davies!

Good luck, Phoenix Falls!

Finished Deathless, by Catherynne M. Valente, for my modern-day retelling of a fairy tale category. It broke my heart into a million pieces with its muchness. I need a little distance to be sure, but I may end up deciding it's the best thing I've read all year. Topping, of course, Valente's The Habitation of the Blessed. . .

But since it's thirty minutes to midnight, I think I have to declare failure; there's no way I can read China Mieville's The Scar in 27 minutes! So sad, to come up one book short. . .

So close!

Better luck this year.

I think their should be a contingency plan: say, if you are able to finish up the challenge by midnight on January 1st, it still counts toward the previous year's challenge.

Amy: LOL! Naw, I want to get started on this year's challenge. I don't begrudge Mieville his victory over me. (It'd probably be different if I had even *started* The Scar before the turning of the year. . .)

I'd heartily applaud you if you could finish a Mieville novel in just a day!  That would be an impressive feat.