Well, I got some money from my MiL for Christmas, so I went and bought several of the "Malazan Book of the Fallen" in epub format, so I'm working my way through them. About halfway through "Memories of Ice" [which I've read up to before], so looking forward to finishing it and starting "House of Chains" which will be all new to me :-D

I'm trying to be good at the beginning of the year and get a head start on all my challenges, so in fantasy I'm planning on reading The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly and then probably Little, Big, by John Crowley (though that will wait until Melanti can find a copy so we can read it together). Then I have two books picked out to read for the SF Challenge, the Mystery Challenge, and the Classics Challenge, so I'll have a busy month!

Well, good news.
I just got a copy of Little, Big off of ebay for cheap (plus four other books), so give me a couple of weeks for it to get shipped here, and I'll be good to go.

As far as what I'm reading right now...
While at home, I'm reading The Wood Wife by Terri Winding.  (You can easily see her and Charles de Lint's influence on each other.)
While away from home, I'm reading Furies of Calderon and White Knight by Jim Butcher.

After those 4, though, I have no idea.  I have hundreds of books on my shelves or on my e-reader that I haven't read yet.  I tend to just pick and choose as the mood strikes me.
Maybe The Orphan Tales set by Catherynne Valente?  I've been wanting to read those ever since I listened to the CDs based on them.
 

I just finished Wolfskin by Juliet Marillier. It was very, very good. Next up is the sequel - Foxmask. After that, I plan on getting started on the 2010 challenge. I'm hoping I can finish at least 1-2 books for the challenge before classes start back up for me. Haven't decided which, though.

I'm about to finish Exile the second book of RA Salvatore's Dark Elf trilogy -- which started slow but got better.  After that I will probably take a break from Fantasy to read The Lost Symbol which I got for Christmas.  Dan Brown's books are usually pretty quick reads so I'll probably get through it in a few days.  It's back to fantasy after that for On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers.  I'm a big Tim Powers fan (Anubis Gates was crazy good), but I'm really interested in reading this one because it is the basis for the next Pirates of the Caribbean film.  It should be interesting trying to figure out which of the characters will be transformed into the familiar faces from Pirates.

I'm really interested in reading this one because it is the basis for the next Pirates of the Caribbean film.

Really? Now that's just plain random. . . thanks for the trivia! I'm going to have to try and find a copy of that myself now. ;)

I found an unread but bought new copy of Little, Big in the garage last winter. I probably got it from QPBC about 30 years ago. It took me several months to get it read; then I posted it and it disappeared in 24 hrs. If either of you ladies doesn't want to post your evaluation, please PM one to me. It is like very little I have ever read. Th only thing that comes readily to mind is The Sunlight Dialogues. An extremely difficult question, the most important and most basic question about any book is, "What is it about?"  (a mark of a really great book is that after much consideration, all you can say is, "It is about life.")
  Almost as hard to answer is "And what is the writer saying about his subject?"

John W.: Melanti and I are planning on reading it together and discussing it here on the forum, in the hopes that some other people will also want to join in. You're very much welcome to add your insights! :)

I just started Sunshine by Robin McKinley for the fantasy challenge.  No reading tonight however since the Orange Bowl is on.  Go Hawks!!!

On Stranger Tides

Now that was an AWESOME book! I think I enjoyed it more than Anubis Gates, and that is saying a lot. Have fun with it.  The only thing that bothered me was the amount of blood magic involved [that type of magic has always just sent a shiver down my spine].

I need to read more Powers.  So far I've only read Last Call but it was simply incredible.

Right now I am reading Scenting the Dark and Other Stories by Campbell Award winning author Mary Robinette Kowal.

I really enjoyed On Stranger Tides.  They are going to be using the book as a basis for the next Pirate movie.  It will be interesting to see how much of the book they actually use.

Started reading Naamah's Kiss last night; my very first book for the 2010 challenge.

Very, very good so far. If you've read the Kushiel series it can feel a bit depressing reading this book because you know that the characters you loved so much are now dead and gone, seeing as this new book takes places 3-4 generations after the first series.

So far in January I've read:

Songs of the Dying Earth - George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois, eds.

Diving into the Wreck - Kristine Katherine Rusch

Night of Knives - Ian C. Esslemont

In the queue (contents and order subject to change):

Armageddon 2419 A.D. - Philip Francis Nowland

Aurilia's Colors - Jeffrey Overstreet

Toll the Hounds - Steven Erikson

Winter of the World - Poul Anderson

Martian Quest: the Early Brackett - Leigh Brackett

I just finished 2 books:  Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist, and Alcatraz vs the Knights of Crystalia by Brandon Sanderson (book 3 of his YA series).  Both were fun. 

I am now on to Magician: Master by Feist.  Can't wait to see how this turns out...

I'm not doing the fantasy challenge, just got too much else going on and it's not my primary genre. So far in January, the fantasy I've read has been The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins--listened to that in audio and it was awesome! On the library list for the next one. Also just finished listening to Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett--just as wacky as you could imagine with those two having at it. The reader was great for that one, too. I also read Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb, first in her new Rain Wilds trilogy. It was....very good, but I"m not as enthusiastic as I was with the first of her other trilogies set in that world. The characters just didn't capture me as much.

Cheryl

Nothing like waiting till the last day to record my January reads all of which I enjoyed for different reasons.

The Prophetess by Janet Kidde:  A new author with a different type of story about a woman whose dreams come true and has lived several lives with the same tragic end, over and over again.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman:  A well written humorous story about a boy/man who bumbles through life and learns as a grownup that he is a god.

Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop:  Love this author and feel like I know these characters as I've followed them from one book to another.  This one is about a haunted house designed to kill those of the blood.

Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin:  Another author I love whose characters seem to live with me whenever I read one of his books.

The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey:  Light and fun book by an author I haven't read for years.

Web of the Witch World by Andre Norton:  Another author I rediscovered who creates a hero and heroine on an alien world who must save this world from invaders..

Dissolution:  Just begun so it will go into February.