Changes happening on NRC: Review Policy & 2011 reading challenges

Afternoon everyone! It's a bit blustery today, but I hope you're all safe and warm, and got a book nearby.

Some of you have noticed I haven't been so active online recently. I've cut my use of Twitter down. This is mostly so that I could make the most of my day (I saved 1-2 hours just by going online (mostly) once a day).

Additionally it has been for health reasons too. For full details check out my personal blog, Nayu's Realm. In light of needing to take life a bit easier, and to prioritise where I spend most of my time (see the previous post on Nayu's Realm for more info on that too), there will be a change in the review structure here on NRC.

First of all, I will no longer aim to review a book every day. I will give a full review to 4 books a week. I will undoubtedly read many more than that. I don't want books to get missed out just because I don't have time to write full reviews for all of them. So once a week, on the What Are You Reading? meme, there will be one or two sentences with my opinion on the book, and a rating out of 10. That way I can still give my opinion on everything I read, but I'll also be saving time too.

The new schedule will look something like this. 

• Mondays: 
• What Are You Reading? meme including minimalist style review
• Tuesdays: 
• A review
• Wednesdays: 
• Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month I'll be reviewing over on Cem's Book Hideout. All other Wednesdays will be a What Am I Watching? Meme (one I've just created). Here I'll discuss dvds I've recently watched. Expect lots of anime, US TV dramas, and occasional films. 
• Thursdays:
• Thrilling Craft Adventure Thursdays meme (yet another I've made up). On Thursday's I'll be discussing the craft projects I've been working on during the week. This will predominantly be about knitting, but will occasionally include others including cooking and writing, which is known as The Craft.   
• Fridays: 
• Foreign Language Friday! meme (another I've just made up). Each week I'll be discussing something that I find interesting about foreign languages. This will predominantly be about Japanese, but will be applicable to all other languages. It will be for everyone: hopefully it will help give you some knowledge on other cultures. Other languages to be addressed will be French and Spanish 
• Saturday: 
• A review
• Sunday: 
• A review 

I'm putting up reviews on days when I have more free time. I hope you all enjoy the other posts too. It's incorporating my hobbies alongside being a bookworm. 

That's the schedule for the blog. I have changed the review policy which is down the right hand side. In summary: 

• I will be taking on very few new authors/publishers for book reviews. 
• I have commitments with a lot of authors and publishers already. I wish to give them my full attention. I'm fortunate that I do get quite a lot of individual requests for review. I'd love to say yes to everyone, but I can no longer do that. 
• I'm still encouraging people to email me about books they wish me to review. It might just be one that really captures my interest. 
• I will almost definitely accept any books that are in the following genres: 
• Historical
• Graphic novel/manga
• Stories involving school life. 
• I'm particularly fond of these types of books at the moment. This could change over time, but I'll amend it as and when necessary. 
• I will be declining most blog tours
• All blog tours that I've agreed to participate in will go ahead as scheduled. 
• New blog tour requests from 5th February 2011 will be looked at, with the understanding that I'll only take on ones which I'm really interested in. I'm interested in them all, but they do take more time than an ordinary review (full review & minimalist review). 
• Note: if any of you spot me signing up for a blog tour, please stop me! 

That's pretty much it really. The impact on the changes will be minimal for those who I already deal with. It's more for new requests and blog tours. 

This new change will be in place from Monday 7th February 2011. I'm giving myself tomorrow as a day off :) 

As ever, I'd like to thank you all for supporting this blog, for the comments you give, and also for the books you donate. I am and always will be a book addict. I look forward to many more years of book filled fun here on Nayu's Reading Corner. 

2011 Reading Challenges

In accordance with streamlining the content on the blog, I may have to streamline the book challenges too. I'm going to try and read all the books (which will get minimalist reviews), but I'm aware that I may not necessarily get a lot read. 

Nayuleska, 4th February 2011. 

Someday's Dreamers: Spellbound #1 by Norie Yamada & Kumichi Yoshizuki

Read as part of 

December 2006, TokyoPop

192 pages, Paperback

Personal copy 

Manga: Young Adult/Fantasy 

Occasional strong language, Japanese high school life, magic as a power, an unhappy family life, pressure, arguments, teen romance, 

Summary by TokyoPop

Eighteen-year-old Nami is a magic user with a keen interest in helping everyone...but herself. Ryutaro is the new boy in school--he's rough around the edges and has a mysterious past, but beneath his rough exterior is a gentle soul. When these two meet, they leave each other spellbound!

Nayuleska's thoughts

I decided to get this series because I've watched and enjoyed the anime version. When I opened this up, I realised the story was different. That isn't big news, because often anime uses a different storyline to the manga version (if there is one). I like seeing the difference, it helps me learn more about the characters involved. 

Anyway, the main character in this version, Nami, is 18. Personally looking at the cover you wouldn't think she was 18...but I find that it's often really hard to place an age on people so I'm not too bothered about this. Nami has a lot of trouble on her plate. She's got to start thinking of what she wants to do next in her life. The problem is, that's something she doesn't want to think about. Her family is very pro magic. Her father always does something on her birthday, and she hates it. She hates feeling inadequate and not improving on her magic skills. Surprisingly I could relate to this a lot. Sometimes it feels like everyone has really high expectations of you, and deep down you don't believe you can meet those hopes. Being at a sixth form rather than a college, I identified well with Nami in her classes and interactions with her classmates. 

The key interaction is with a pretty argumentative and explosive boy called Ryutaro. He has a quick temper, and strangely he joins Ryutaro's school. He cuts class an awful lot, and as class president she's the one to check up on him. I'm eager to find out why he is so protective about his family, and how magic plays a part in his life. 

Overall it was a nice enough manga. It doesn't have me super excited (this may be due to the characters being different. Not that I'd hold that against the story) - in some places I was thinking 'huh?' to where the plot was/wasn't going. I wouldn't recommend this as a first manga read, but after you've read a few I'd recommend it :) Although it has the teen rating due to the romance, it's mostly innuendo and concepts of conversations (nothing visual). 

Final conclusion: 

There are totally different characters in here to the anime, but it is still enjoyable, and when magic is used I can almost hear the sound effects! 

Keep an eye out, because I'm reading the rest in the series! 

Manga Reading Challenge 2011 (Details been amended)

(Note: Pictures are copyright to the anime companies who produce the series)

I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but I hold Caro of Portrait of A Woman entirely responsible for this reading challenge. She was asking about a Japanese literature challenge, which made me think of manga!

I'm going to aim to read 4 manga books a month (1 a week = very doable). Hopefully more, but we'll see. This is definitely a very fun challenge for me, I adore manga, anime and Japanese video games!

If you'd like to take part, why not try reading 1 manga a month to begin with? There is such a wide range of genres you'll be able to find something you'll enjoy :)

Edited to add I'll be aiming to read 1 manga a month. 

1. Someday's Dreamers: Spellbound 1 by Norie Yamada & Kumichi Yoshizuki, (January)
2. Someday's Dreamers: Spellbound 2 by Norie Yamada & Kumichi Yoshizuki (January)
3. Someday's Dreamers 1 by Norie Yamada and Kumichi Yoshizuki (June) 

My reading challenges for 2011

Reading challenges. I've never done them. Ever.

Okay, so it is possible that when I was at school I took part in reading challenges over the holidays. But I haven't taken any on while writing this blog.

That's possibly why I'm getting a little carried away and trying not one, not two....or three reading challenges in 2011, but four. Here they are, including links.

British authors reading challenge

Anne McCaffrey reading challenge

Tamora Pierce reading challenge

Mercedes Lackey reading challenge

I'll keep you posted on how my challenges go :) Please feel free to join in! 

Mercedes Lackey reading challenge 2011

My fourth and final reading challenge of 2011 will be to read Mercede Lackey books. I've read most of her Valdemar series many, many times. I had most of the books. Stupidly, when I decided to purge my bookshelves (pre-reviewing era), I got rid of the entire lot. Yes I regret it. They went to a good home (charity), but still, I wish I hadn't got rid of them! I've started re-reading them in French, which is fun (although not sure they have them all). However, Mercedes also wrote a load of other books which I've never read. So 2011 I'll be reading the other books and hopefully 2012 I'll read the Valdemar series (and buy them all)

Edited to add I'm going to try to read one a month. I'd love more but life's changed and I've got to be realistic. 

• January: The Diana Tregarde series
• Burning Water
• Children of the Night
• Jinx High 

For the rest of the year, it depends which books are available. Here are the series which I hope to read. 

• Enduring Flame
• The Phoenix Unchained
• The Phoenix Endangered
• The Phoenix Transformed
• Obsidian Trilogy
• The Outstreched Shadow
• To Light a Candle
• When Darkness Falls
• Heirs of Alexandria
• Shadow of the Lion
• This Rough Magic
• A Mankind Witch
• Much Fall of Blood
• The Dragon Jousters
• Joust
• Alta
• Sanctuary
• Aerie
• Bardic Voices
• The Lark and the Wren
• The Robin & the Kestrel
• The Eagle & the Nightingales
• Four and Twenty Blackbirds
• Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms
• The Fairy Godmother
• One Good Knight
• Fortune’s Fool
• The Snow Queen
• Sleeping Beauty
• Fairy  Tale
• The Black Swan
• Firebird
• The Elemental Masters
• The Fire Rose
• The Serpent’s Shadow
• The Gates of Sleep
• Phoenix and Ashes
• The Wizard of London
• Reserved for the Cat
• The Halfblood Chronicles
• The Elvenbane
• Elvenblood
• Elvenborn
• Serrated Edge
• Born to Run
• Wheels of Fire
• When the Bough Breaks
• Chrome Circle
• Evendude
• Spiritride
• Lazerwarz
• Stoned Souls
• Prequel to Serrated Edge
• This Scepter’d Isle
• Ill Met by Moonlight
• By Slanderous Tongues
• And Less Than Kind
• Bedlam’s Bard
• Knight of Ghosts and Shadows
• Summoned to Tourney
• Bedlam Boyz
• Beyond World’s End
• Spirits White as Lightning
• Mad Maudlin
• Bedlam’s Edge
• Music to My Sorrow
• Standalone
• ·         Sacred Ground

I invite you to come and check out some of Mercede's work. You can find out more on her official website.  

Tamora Pierce reading challenge 2011

My 3rd reading challenge will be reading Tamora Pierce's books! (see - I figured out how to do the pictures! It's not fancy, but it has the bare essentials :) 

Edited to add I'm going to try to read one a month. I'd love more but life's changed and I've got to be realistic. 

I love Tamara's books and always borrowed them out of the library. I haven't read all of them, but in 2011 I intend to. They are fun, inspiring and very enjoyable. 

Due to the amount of books I already have for January *cough Acorna series*, I won't be reading Tamora's books until February. Here are the ones I would like to read :) 

• THE CIRCLE UNIVERSE
• The Circle of Magic (read these once a long time ago)
• Magic in the Weaving
• Power in the Storm
• Fire in the forging
• Healing in the Vine
• The Circle Opens
• Magic Steps
• Street Magic
• Cold Fire
• Shatterglass
• Sort of stand alone in this universe
• The Will of the Empress
• Melting Stones
• TORTALL UNIVERSE
• The Song of the Lioness (read these countless times)
• Alanna
• In the Hand of the goddess
• The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
• Lioness Rampant
• The Immortals (library never had book 3, so never read them)
• Wild Magic
• Wolf Speaker
• Emperor Mage
• The Realms of the Gods
• Protector of the Small (read these many times)
• First Test
• Page
• Squire
• Lady Knight
• Tricksters
• Trickster’s Choice
• Trickster’s Queen
• Beka Cooper
• Terrier
• Bloodhound
• Mastiff (not out til 2011) 

I invite you to join me in this reading challenge. You may use my picture for it if you like (or you will probably be able to create one a little more sophisticated :p ) Whether your read one book, or all of them, I hope you enjoy Tamara's work as much as I do. Check out her website. 

Anne McCaffrey Reading Challenge 2011

Here are the rights for the logo (copied from Caro's blgo) For my logo I used an artwork from The Pern Museum and Archive (link here) 

I'm doing this challenge in conjunction with my friend Caro of Portrait of a Woman. It turns out we share favourite authors in Anne McCaffrey. Caro has set up all the fancy stuff for the challenge, I'm just copying and pasting :D 

Edited to add I'm going to try to read one a month. I'd love more but life's changed and I've got to be realistic. 

When I was younger (at sixth form), I tried reading one of the dragons of Pern books. I didn't enjoy it. I did enjoy a few others by her. 

I now feel that I would enjoy the dragon series. However, she's already written a lot of books. And I'm working on other challenges. So, I will try and read the Pern series in 2012. For 2011, I'm going to try and read all her other books. Unlike Caro I'm not going to try and read certain books in a quarter. I'm making it more challenging and aiming for monthly reads :) 

• January: I am reading all of the Acorna series, for a special project on 2nd week of Jan (more coming up in a few days. These include 
• Acorna (31st Dec 2010I've read this one now. Loved it just as much as when I last read it! Link to follow. And yes this will count to the challenge cos I have to read all of them before the third week of Jan. Ideally before the 2nd week.) 
• Acorna's Quest - 6th Jan, I've read this! 
• Acorna's People - can't remember the date for this one but I've read this! 
• Acorna's World - 14th Jan, I've read this! 
• Acorna's Search - 16th Jan - read this! 
• Acorna's Rebels
• Acorna's Triumphs 
• Also the trilogy about Acorna's children
• First Warning
• Second Wave
• Third Watch

The exact order will depend on availability of the books. I aim to read the following 

• Young Adult Fantasy
• An Exchange of Gifts
• No One Noticed the Cat
• If Wishes were Horses
• Black Horses for the King
• Doona series
• Decision at Doona
• Crisis on Doona
• Treaty at Doona
• The Petaybee Series
• Powers Trilogy
• Powers That Be
• Power Lines
• Power Play
• The Twins of Petaybee
• Changelings
• Maelstrom
• Deluge
• The Brain & Brawn Ship series
• The Ship Who Sang
• PartnerShip
• The Ship Who Searched
• The City Who Fought
• The Ship Who Won
• The Planet Pirates Trilogy
• Sassinak
• The Death of Sleep
• Generation Warriors
• Dinosaurs Planet series (can be bought as 2 books in 1)
• Dinosaur Planet
• Dinosaur Planet Survivors
• Standalone novels
• Restoree
• The Coelura
• A Diversity of Dragons
• Nimisha’s Ship
• The Barque Cat Series
• Catalyst
• Catacombs
• The Talents series
• To Ride Pegasus
• Pegasus in Flight
• Pegasus in Space

The following books I have read before (at least 3-5 times each...) , so if I run out of time I won't read them in 2011. 

• The Tower and Hive series
• The Rowan
• Damia
• Dami’s Children
• Lyon’s Pride
• The Tower and the Hive
• Crystal Singer series 
• Crystal Singer
• Killashandra
• Crystal Line
• The Freedom Series
• Freedom’s Landing
• Freedom’s Choice
• Freedom’s Challenge
• Freedom’s Ransom 

I will update this post (and post links to the updates) as the year progresses. You may wish to join me and Caro - her page has more details :)  Please check out Anne's website 

British Book Challenge 2011

Considering I've got 3 other reading challenges planned for 2011, and I've never taken part in a challenge before, I was surprised to find myself entering this challenge, created by Becky over at The Bookette. However, as I read it I thought 'I can do this'. I'm pretty sure I'll definitely read 12 books by British authors. I can't post up any titles just yet, but I will post them up as I read them.

I'm aiming for 50 books. Given the amount I read in a year (which I think might be over 300, but I'm not quite sure), 50 is a reasonable amount.

I think this is an awesome idea, and full credit to Becky for organising it all (including fun competitions to win British Books for participants!)

1. You Against Me by Jenny Downham (1st Jan) 
2. Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling (Jan)
3. Angel Boy by Bernard Ashley (Jan)
4. Payback by Rosemary Hayes (Jan)
5. The Robber Baron's Daughter by Jamila Gavin (Jan) random
6. First Girl by Gloria Whelan (Jan)
7. Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan (Jan)
8. The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman (Jan)
9. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney (Jan) 
10. 0.4 by Mike Lancaster
11. Death in the Desert by Jim Eldridge (Jan 27th)
12. Runaways by Joe Layburn (Jan) 
13. Death in the Desert by Jim Eldridge (Jan) 
14. 
    

Jan 23rd: I'm 1/5th nearer to my goal! Whoohoo!