R E A D I N G / The To Read List

To aspire to be one of your favorite writers, you have to read extensively, read voraciously all the great works that you want to be. I admit, I've been a terrible English major student. Over the past few years I only finished around three novels. I used to read more, and I used to always have a book in my hand--nearly bumping and tripping into things and people in the process. This year, as a somewhat resolution, I had decided to break this habit and read again. Here are some books that I have ordered and are all on my "to read" list (because lists are a few of my favorite things)!

C U R R E N T L Y   R E A D I N G

The first book to hopefully break this chain of reading procrastination is Catherynne M. Valente's The Orphan Tales. After reading her book Deathless (which I highly recommend), I was intoxicated with the language and the complexities of her characters that I really wanted to devour more. In fact, the books that I've listed are all books written by her. I'm trying to get as much of Ms. Valente as I can get and I'm loving every minute of it. What got me interested in The Orphan Tales is its echo to One Thousand and One Nights--more commonly known as Arabian Nights. A series of tales and stories mix and mingle within each other. Each introduction of a character brings about the story of another deeply embedded. Just reading, I feel myself spiral down and down into the books and it's a dizzying feeling I hope I won't get out of. Besides that, the poetic language that flourishes within each book makes me crave and yearn for more the more I read. I honestly hope the entire book as a whole maintains this same level of brilliance.

O N  T H E  T O R E A D   L I S T

The next two books on the list are, as I said, other works by Valente, The Bread We Eat In Dreams and The Melancholy of Mechagirl. I got a taste of The Bread We Eat In Dreams while deciding whether or not I wanted to get it on Amazon and so far, it stays up to par with what I expect of her work which is obviously good. The Melancholy of Mechagirl drew me in by its cover and my growing desire to have a female protagonist of color lead the work. Right now, Mechagirl and its premise are completely unknown to me. I have no idea what it is about, but I'm excited to find out while I read it myself. Overall, my eyes and brain are tingling with excitement. Catherynne M. Valente, don't fail me!

What book are you currently reading? What is on your to read list?

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