Welcome to TY’s personal BLOG, aptly named What Up?  Here you can read random stuff that seemed pertinent to TY at the time he was writing it.  For the inside scoop on our comics, check out Teacher’s Lounge.  Click either of those links for a full archive of posts, or use our beautiful menu bars up above. We also do reviews as well, in case you’re interested in either of our (mainly TY’s) humble opinions on schtuff, which you probably are if you’re reading this blog thing. 🙂
Epic Winding Bookshelf

This is my bookshelf… I wish. Who wouldn’t want this circular monstrosity??!!

 

I love reading, but unfortunately have little time for it. When I do, I literally dive in and don’t stop until I’m finished, but it could be another month before I start again. I went through a bit of a dry spell until the fall of 2013, when I read Ender’s Game. That spurred grand return to the world of reading in 2014:

  • Ender’s Shadow
  • Shadow of the Hegemon
  • A Game of Thrones
  • A Clash of Kings
  • A Storm of Swords
  • Shadow Puppets
  • Maze Runner

Books started: Master and Commander (mainly to see if I liked it and wanted to buy it, not actually reading it), Napolean’s Pyramids (I tried listening to it while kayaking and didn’t hear everything, so then I never knew where I was or what was going on… which is unfortunate b/c I love the series), The King’s Deception by Steve Berry (supplanted by the Maze Runner), Shadow of the Giant (things got in the way, but I’m still reading it), and the Scorch Trials (after watching Maze Runner, I want to read the book again before I start the sequel).

This was a big year for me because even though I plagued myself with the usual start/don’t finish, I started and finished 7 entire books! Again, it’s not that the act of reading or finishing them is hard, it’s the fact that I didn’t procrastinate, because when you’re running a comic site, that’s easy to do.

Thus, I know need to decide my 2015 reading schedule. My challenge is one book per month (or 12 by the December 21st, 2015). Blogging about it may help clear my thoughts, so let’s hash this out!

I’m thinking I need to come full circle and finish the book I started so long ago. The series that taught me that no matter how busy I am, I still have time to read. The book with the three snarkiest lead characters I know (Bean, Petra, Peter). I’ll read Shadow of the Giant and finish the 4 books of the Bean Quartet, as I believe it’s called.

After that I reach a dilemma. I want to read the next two A Song of Ice and Fire books before I watch GoT season 5. However, I feel I need to reread ALL of the books.

Therefore, I’m at a crossroads. A Song of Ice and Fire, or the Maze Runner series. I think I’d rather read the latter, and there’s no chance I’ll finish GoT in time for season 5. So… quite the issue.

This period will be pretty intense, so I’m not super opposed to read a book I’ve already read. It might be boring, but rereading A Game of Thrones may take less brain power this time, and hopefully I won’t get worn out during a Storm of Swords (everything just went down the drain at this point for me, because everything continues to get worse for all my fav characters, and not in the exciting worse way, the depressing worse way). So maybe I’ll do that? And then use a Wiki of Ice and Fire for chapters I didn’t enjoy too much? I could even blog about it here. A Sunday weekly blog post about my opinions on the chapters? Book thoughts Sunday. I’m liking that idea.

So now, what’s left?

  • The King’s Deception by Steve Berry
  • The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
  • The Giver by Lois Lowry (realized recently that it’s the same author behind Remember the Stars, which is quite a good book from what my 5th grade self remembers…)
  • The Ethan Gage Series by William Dietrich

After a series like the Maze Runner, it’s nice to change things up, but unfortunately I don’t have many single novels. Therefore I might finish the King’s Deception, then go to Napolaean’s Pyramids.

So, that puts me at:

  1. Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card
  2. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
  3. A Clash of Kings by GRRM
  4. A Storm of Swords by GRRM
  5. A Feast for Crows by GRRM
  6. A Dance with Dragons by… GRRM
  7. Maze Runner by James Dashner
  8. Scorch Trials by JD
  9. Death Cure by JD
  10. King’s Deception
  11. Napolean’s Pyramids by William Dietrich
  12. Rosetta Key by WD
  13. The Giver by Lois Lowry

I’ll end the year with The Giver, no matter where I’m at. I hear it’s a great book, and somehow December/January seems fitting. If I’m ahead of schedule, I’ll keep going with Dietrich’s series. I read Barbary Pirates once upon a time, and I loved it, so I can’t wait to finish that one. This schedule will put me behind for Game of Thrones season 5, but hey, you win some you lose some. Also, all of the books I started will be finished, with the exception of Master and Commander, but hey, maybe I’ll fit it in there somewhere.

Also, Goodreads.com is a GREAT site for keeping track of these things. They let you find friends, set reading goals. I discovered it by accident when reading reviews of Ender’s Game to see if it was any good, and when I saw all of the cool features, signed up! I’m on so many stupid social media sites, it seems fitting to find one for books.

So, join me on my epic reading adventure this year, and we’ll see what 2015 yields. Until next time,

TY