catching up: The Final Key

I'm way behind here. I've been busy and tired, but I'm still reading a bit every day. Right now I'm reading In Stone's Clasp by Christie Golden and I'm enjoying it.

The first book I read this year was The Final Key: Part Two of Triad by Catherine Asaro. I'm a fan of Asaro's Skolian series, but I think I'm getting bored with the prequels. Also, this and Schism were supposed to be one book and they got split into two, which IMO wasn't the best idea. Tighter editing and less repetition would have made them short enough to be one book.

( spoilers )

buys, trades, free book

Bought:
Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 4 by Hiromu Arakawa and Vol. 5 was on the shelf next to it and I got a coupon that is valid this weekend, so I will be buying that too. I was going crazy being behind. Now I just need to find time in between library books and book discussion books to read them.

Starseed by Spider & Jeanne Robinson- I almost overlooked this because it was way up on the top shelf and I had to get my SO to get it for me. I have now completed collecting this series, so I can read it now.
Cross Vol. 1 by Sumiko Amakawa- Dude! The used bookstore had manga! I've seen manga there exactly one time in the six or so years I've been shopping there (Sailor Moon Vol. 9, which I bought). This time, they had three different ones (Yu-Gi-Oh! Vols.1 & 3 were the other two, but those didn't seem as interesting to me).

Trades:
Spin State by Chris Moriarty. I finally have my own copy of this book! I read it two years ago and I loved it.
The Harp of Imach Thyssel by Patricia C. Wrede. I'm working on collecting this whole series and I only need two more now.

Also, I started a volunteer job at the library on Friday. I was offered four free science fiction and fantasy hardcover books. I think two were by Weis & Hickman- not my cup of tea- and there was another one I wasn't interested in too, but I took The Shadow of Saganami by David Weber.