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Sadly, this is my first post for this year. I got a late start. Mostly because I was attempting to read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver first. I'd read a few little chapters, then set it down for months at a time. I know it's a bestseller and all, but for one reason or another, it failed to draw me in. I'll probably attempt it again in my lifetime, but I decided that if I was going to get anything read this year it was going to have to wait. Since I gave up on it in May, I've successfully finished seven. So here is my list for 2008 so far:

1. Blankets by Craig Thompson. This is an autobiographical graphic novel by artist Craig Thompson. It tells the story of his somewhat disturbing childhood, his struggles with faith, and his first love. I'm not a graphic novel person really, but this drew me in. I read it while sitting with a friend at his jewelry store in a matter of a few hours. I highly recommend it. It's beautiful, really.

2. Draco Dormiens by Cassandra Claire. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this here. This is the first in a 3 story series of novel-length Harry Potter fan fiction sent to me by a friend of mine. It strays a good deal from the “canon” but as fanfic goes, it is very well written. I'm not sure where'd you be able to find it if you went looking, but if you're into fanfic and have a soft spot for Draco Malfoy, it's an entertaining read. I hear the last in the series is the best, but I haven't got there yet. I'm kind of a nerd. Moving on.

3. Sin City: The Hard Goodbye. Another graphic novel loaned to me by the boy who recommended Blankets. If you've seen the movie, the first in the Sin City series of novels tells the story of Marv and his quest to avenge the death of his escort girlfriend, Goldie.

4. Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: College by Jennifer Worick and Joshua Piven. Something light and funny I picked up in my university bookstore. Filled with tips on everything from choosing a good party school, to hiding things in your dorm, to surviving a stadium riot.

5. Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller. I seriously want to marry Donald Miller. I first came to this conclusion when I read his memoirs in Blue Like Jazz, which I immediately followed with Searching for God Knows What, his spiritual manifesto. Now he's birthed a longing for the open road in me with his road trip diary. I mean, who doesn't want to live with a bunch of hippies in a national forest for 3 months? If anyone happens to be acquainted with Mr. Miller and knows if he is single, feel free to point him in my direction. Wink, wink.

6. Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. I purchased this at a Goodwill for it's candid title. It claims to be a book on establishing a healthy lifestyle. Warning: this book is actually anti-meat industry propaganda disguised as a diet book. Not that I have anything against the vegan lifestyle. I've even considered adopting it. I'm not exactly in favor of the lax standards of the American meat industry either. However, I like my nutrition books to include a little more than pages and pages of meat packing plant horror stories. It makes it's good points, but reader be warned.

7. Same Place, Same Things by Tim Gautreaux. A series of short stories set in small town Louisiana by local author, Tim Gautreaux. As the title suggest, the stories are simple stories of ordinary run-of-mill Louisiana citizens who find themselves in some interesting situations. Good southern gossip, through and through.

Turning out to be a much different kind of list than last year. We'll see how it goes.

Currently reading: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Next on the list: The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.