Today marks the launch of spring–and of the Once Upon a Time Reading Experience, hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings. This will be my third year participating, and I’ve been looking forward to joining in again. If someone was going to design a reading challenge around my favorite kinds of books…it would look a lot like this one. I mean, fantasy with an emphasis on fairy tales! That’s what I read (and what I write too).
I’ve been telling myself that I’ll make progress on my To Be Read list over the next three months, since so many of the books on it are fantasy. This, of course, ignores that fact that I’ll probably add tons of wonderful new books too…but shhh, let’s not talk about that right now!
I have far too many books that fall into this Experience to list them all here, but I’ll give you a few initial ideas…
~ Stardust by Neil Gaiman, for the group read-along
~ Chalice by Robin McKinley, which I started yesterday…but close enough
~ Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (a reread) and its once-removed sequel, Princess of the Silver Woods (because I already read the immediate sequel, Princess of Glass)
~ The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, to get me set up for the real challenge…
~ The Lord of the Rings trilogy–or at least a good attempt at them
~ Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, because…Pratchett and Gaiman! How have I not already read this?
~ The House on Durrow Street and The Master of Heathcrest Hall by Galen Beckett, as I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the trilogy, The Magicians and Mrs. Quent
~ The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, which I read SO long ago that I’ve completely forgotten them, and now I feel like they’re a gap in my McKinley reading
~ More installments of the Sevenwaters Series by Juliet Marillier, part of my goal to complete series
And, oh, so many, many random fantasy novels…really, the list above barely scratches the surface! Well, scratches it, maybe, but not so far as a dent. So, I’m not worrying too much about which books I read, or how many, or which Quests they fit into. I’ll just toss lots of books into the air (metaphorically) and let them fall where they will. I hope you’ll come along for the fun!
I like your list and look forward to reading your reviews!
Thanks, I hope you’ll enjoy!
Good Omen’s is one of my favorites! I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to your reviews.
Thank you! It’s next on my list. 🙂
I hope you’ll enjoy Good Omens and I’m looking forward to your review of Chalice. More Pratchett is always good!
Can’t go wrong with more Pratchett. 🙂 And Chalice should be up on Wednesday!
Oh, Tolkien! I have yet to read him and now I feel silly for not thinking of putting it on my list.
Your list looks wonderful. Lots of new titles for me. I shall be looking them up. Perhaps I’ll even end up reading them (but I warn you I am way too optimistic at the beginning of any challenge).
I hope you enjoy your spring reading 🙂
I see no harm in a little optimism! I’m glad I’m not the only one who hasn’t read Lord of the Rings. 🙂
You haven’t read it either? I’m happy I’m not alone (I thought it might be a reread for you). Have you read The Hobbit? I’m trying to figure out if I should start with that or not. I like your idea of trying audio. That might make it easier for me.
I have read The Hobbit, although not for years and years. I figured it would be a good reread to then launch onto the trilogy. I’m midway through now, and enjoying it. It is getting me engaged with the world and Tolkien’s writing, which I hope will help give me some momentum for Fellowship, where I believe the writing gets much denser…
That is a long list. I will be looking for the reviews of Robin McKinley books. I have been interested in trying her books.
McKinley is wonderful! I’ve reviewed some of my favorites in the past: Rose Daughter, Beauty and Spindle’s End. I recommend them all.
Good luck with that great list of potential books! I thought about adding in The Hobbit and LOTR. I’ve been interested in trying out the new audiobooks on Audible. I’ve heard they’re fantastic. And it’s been YEARS since I’ve read those books.
I’ve been debating listening to Lord of the Rings on audio…I might see how it goes with Fellowship in print, and then decide if I want to try audio for the others.
I don’t know why but WordPress didn’t want to let me comment. Grrr. Then suddenly the reply pane opened.
Anyway, I think you’ll have a lot of fun With Good Omens, it’s one of my favourite books. And I adore Robin McKinley’s writing. Sunshine is my favourite of hers.
Sorry you ran into WordPress trouble! Computer gremlins, perhaps…
I’m looking forward to Good Omens, and I’ve read just about everything by Robin McKinley…her blog is fun too!
I’m planning to take part in this, this year too! As like you a lot of my TBR pile fits perfectly into this challenge that it’ll hardly be a challenge at all 😛
Hooray, welcome to the “challenge”! I do love how perfectly it fits into my TBR list…which means I get to read wonderful books I would have read anyway, but with a group. 🙂
Thank you Cheryl! I look forward to seeing what you and everyone else reads.
Looks like a really interesting list – lots I don’t know there which is always good, but bad for my book-buying budget 🙂 I read the first of the Sevenwaters books but haven’t managed to find any more in the library, I must have another look. I really want to read The Hobbit again but I can’t find my copy. May have to buy another – isn’t that maddening! Happy reading!
So frustrating when the library doesn’t have a book, especially a later one in a series. But surely they must have The Hobbit at least?
Great list! I hope you’ll enjoy ‘Good Omens’ as much as you’re hoping to! Lots of big books on your list too. XD I remember really liking the Ivy Quent books, but I hope you’ll end up enjoying them more than I did. (Beckett elaborates on the way Invarel’s universe works in the other books, which I really liked because I loved the setting.)
Yeah, lots of long books on here. I figure if I put them on the official list, it’ll encourage me to read them! I also loved the setting in the first Mrs. Quent book, so I look forward to learning more.
I love your enthusiasm! I’m hoping the library can track down a copy of Stardust for the group read. Happy reading!!!!
I hope so too! 🙂 But I’ve got a couple weeks for it to arrive still…
Thanks for commenting on my blog.
I love your list. Oh, I have to get on with the Sevenwaters books too. Maybe that’s something I’ll try to do for OUaT.
As well as OUaT being dangerous for adding books to the TBr, it’s also dangerous for adding blogs to the feed reader. I’m off to add yours.
That really is a hazard–or a benefit? 🙂 Always glad to get a new reader–welcome aboard!
great list! I love reading all the reviews that come from OUaT!
Me too!
This is an amazing list — all books I either love or really want to read!
Clearly you have good taste in books! 🙂