Springtime Reading Spells

I’ve recently joined Goodreads, and I was shocked to find out via looking at other profiles, that I am really lagging behind in my reading! I’m amazed to see how much some of these people have read, and when I look at my bookshelf, I realize that I’m definitely lacking in some areas.

Usually, when it comes to reading, I go through these crazy three-month long spells where I become a written word monster – devouring everything in my path. Usually, this happens in late spring, when the weather’s nice enough to lounge out on the deck in the sun with an icy drink of some sort in my hand, and I can be completely absorbed in whatever I’m reading.

Past reading marathons, I’ve read Charlaine Harris, James Ellroy, Graham Greene, books about Wyatt Earp and Tombstone, Jesse James, and Muhammad Ali in Manila.

But these days, my schedule doesn’t really allow for much lounging during the daylight hours, so I trying to come up with another way to squeeze reading into my schedule. So here it is. I figure if I declare it here on the blog, that I’m going to start my reading marathon today, then I’ll actually make it happen.

I’ve got some really good sounding books on the shelf right now, so without trying to overwhelm myself too much, here’s what I’d like to read this spring:

P.N. Elrod – haven’t actually read any of her books, but I love the idea of mixing vampires and film noir together. It sounds like a match made in heaven for me! Plus, I like that a lady's writing from the perspective of a hardboiled vampire detective.

James Ellroy, American Tabloid – I’m a huge Ellroy fan. I think his writing is both completely insane, and completely brilliant. I bought this book second hand a few months back, and it’s just been sitting on my bookshelf for a while. I think it’s time to pick it up.

Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye – The Robert Altman movie based on this book is one of my very favorites of all time (I think it ranks in second place after The Third Man for me.) I’ve always wanted to read the book, but haven't gotten around to it.

Anne Rice, The Witching Hour – I started this book a few months back, really liking it, but sort of dropped it after an extreme spell of busyness (that seems to be my pattern of late when it comes to reading.) I’d definitely like to finish it, and move on to the other books in the series.

Amanda Hocking, My Blood Approves Series – they say you should read within your own genre, so these would definitely be good ones to continue with. Plus, reading it on an e-reader will be really cool. I don’t actually own one, but I’m planning on borrowing one to read these, and see what the future of reading is like. I, for one, think it’s looking pretty awesome.

So there we go – hopefully I’ll be able to get through this list during the season. I think it’ll be good timing, because as we speak, I’m rounding the corner to completing the first draft of my second book -- the sequel to Drowning in the Dark. Once I finish and get it published, maybe I can take some time to jumpstart my reading.

I’m looking forward to the challenge!