Read-a-Thon!

<--- Get used to this picture; you'll be seeing it a lot this weekend. :)






The 24-Hour Read-a-thon is starting tomorrow at 12pm GMT - 7am for me. I'm excited, because this will be my first time participating as a reader. Last time I was a cheerleader and hosted my very own mini-challenge.

In addition to my current TBR pile, here are the books that I picked up to read for the 'thon:
In her Read-a-thon preview post, Nymeth included the opening lines from her RAT books (she credits Debi for giving her the idea). I liked it so much, I'm doing it, too:

The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros
"We didn't always live on Mango Street."

Gentlemen of the Road, Michael Chabon
"For numberless years a myna had astounded travelers to the caravansary with its ability to spew indecencies in ten languages, and before the fight broke out everyone assumed the old blue-tongued devil on its perch by the fireplace was the one who maligned the giant African with such foulness and verve."

Bella at Midnight, Diane Stanley
"When the message came and I saw it was from Edward, I nearly choked on my plum cake."

Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn (This just came in from BookMooch today - it's been on my wishlist for ages, so I'm thrilled it got here in time for the 'thon!)
"Dear Cousin Tassie,
Thank you for the lovely postcards. I trust that you and Aunt Mittie had a pleasant trip, and that all your stateside friends and paternal relations are healthy and happy."

Pretties, Scott Westerfeld (I finished Uglies today, so I'm looking forward to completing the trilogy this weekend.)
"Getting dressed was always the hardest part of the afternoon."

Specials, Scott Westerfeld (ibid.)
"The six hoverboards slipped among the trees with the lightning grace of playing cards thrown flat and spinning."

The Marvel Comics Illustrated Version of Blade Runner (I have no idea where this came from, but I'm eager to see how it compares to the original book.)
"The city is vast. Its levels deep. Its towers are tall; monuments of stone and glass thrusting out of perpetual smog and mist rivaled only by exploding plumes of industrial fire."

Marvel Comics Dune The Official Comic Book (I've had this since my undergrad days, but only recently discovered it again when I moved.)
"A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year ten thousand one ninety-one."

The individual comics are the Serenity: Better Days series, which I bought at Dragon*Con a few months ago and haven't read yet. Why? I don't know. But Wash better be in the story, or I will be a very angry fangirl.

I also have some novels and short stories from The Classic Tales Podcast and LibriVox saved on my iTunes and iPod, just in case. You never know when I'll get the urge to walk around in the woods while listening to Jane Austen's Love and Freindship [sic]. I also have some e-books saved on my computer, including a glorified Firefly fanfic. At some point, I will probably watch Neil Gaiman read The Graveyard Book, and for other Gaiman fans out there, here's a link to a free audio download of "A Study in Emerald," from Fragile Things.

Ooh, and I almost forgot: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, E. Lockhart
I don't have the opening line for this one, as I checked it out of the school's library today, left it in my car, and am too lazy at present to go get it. Plus, it's raining. But I'm sure it'll make its way inside somehow. :)

Happy reading!