February in Wisconsin is usually brutal. It's typically the coldest month of the year and filled with snow storms. This year, however, it felt more like early spring. We don't have any snow on the ground and temperatures have been the in 40's consistently. It's kind of a disappointment because I do enjoy a snow-filled winter, but I am looking forward to spring.
Books read this month: 6
I started this month off with a review of Stephen King's 11/22/63 (AH-mazing book you guys) and then read Domestic Violets which was quite funny, satirizing corporate America and highlighting the oddities of modern life. From there I turned to something completely different; Night by Elie Wiesel. It is a first person account of Wiesel's experiences in WWII concentration camps. This is a book I won't soon forget. Following Night, I picked up the much advertised debut novel The Snow Child and was pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be a lovely, whimsical read that was a perfect choice for the month of February. I also read a selection for the Smooth Criminals reading challenge - The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain. I really didn't know what to expect because I'm still pretty new to the noir genre. In the end it was a good time all around; thrilling and well-paced, with just enough violence to keep it interesting. After Postman I gave in to reading peer pressure and finally picked up The Hunger Games and you know what? I liked it quite a bit. Super fun and entertaining. (Yes I will be seeing the movie as well.) Lastly, I revisited the works of Toni Morrison with Sula. I haven't read Morrison since college and hot damn is she stellar. I almost forgot. (review coming soon)
At the very end of the month I started a collection of essays entitled Sugar in My Bowl: Real Women Write about Real Sex, which so far is just kind of meh. Since I usually read essays along with a novel so I cant alternate when I get tired of the essays I also began Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera which is beautiful written, though a bit tedious, and quite good so far. I plan on tackling 100 Years of Solitude this year and I was told that reading Memories of My Melancholy Whores (I did in 2010) and then Love in the Time of Cholera before 100 Years was a good path to take.
There aren't any new releases in March that I am particularly excited about, which is kind of good because I don't need to buy any more books right now.
image via Nose in a Book
How do you read so much!? Like do you read at superhuman speeds?! Ha. I kid. Seriously, though, that's quite a diverse and large number of books tackled recently! I'm almost finished with 11/22/63 and it is SO good. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll be on the minority on this one but GOD, how I hated 100 Years. It was painful. This is not a comment to discourage you! Maybe you'll love it and post about it and I'll think I need to pick it up again!
Beth, OMG I feel like I am one of the only bloggers that doesn't read like 12 books every month! No really though, I read The Hunger Games in 24 hours because, you know, it's The Hunger Games. Night was only 110 or so pages long so that one only took a day as well. Postman was on the shorter side too... basically 6 books this month was the equivalent of four regular sized books.
DeleteI'm happy to hear you like 11/22/36. I don't know how anyone couldn't get into that book it's just so good!
I am not super pumped to hear you didn't like 100 Years. It's probably the book I've had for the longest on my TBR. We are talking 2005 or 2006. Everytime I've tried to read it I always but it back. I'm worried I won't be able to keep all the characters straight. Did you have that problem when you read it?
Brenna,
DeleteI've actually read a few books this year in one sitting. I generally don't do that but I gotta do something because I'm only at like 4 for the year! Ahah. I think your blog is a perfect balance of reviews and other content.
I'm liking 11/22/63 but I'm to the point where he's been beaten and has lost his memory. I'm like... ok, let's just get to the thing here, King! Haha. It's SOOOOO long. I think it's the longest book I've read in years.
100 years was very confusing and I just wasn't drawn into the story. I've attempted to read And Love and Other Demons as a reread after college but left it was well. I do hope you like it because I definitely didn't leave that to dampen the experience.
11/22/63 is the longest book I've read in a very long time. Usually anything over 500 pages is a big deal for me, so 800 and change is huge. But honestly I feel like it moved so quickly and was so interesting I didn't find it to feel overly long. It does take awhile to get to the Oswald portion, but I had so much fun reading the back story that led up to it I didn't mind.
DeleteI'm glad you to told me how you felt about 100 years. I've read a lot of positive reviews, but it's nice to know there are some who didn't enjoy it. I've struggled with the start of the book every time I try to pick it up because I get confused, but I haven't attempted it in a few years and I'm hoping it will be different since I've had more reading experience. We'll see though, it could go either way.
Wow you have read some good stuff this months - and very varied as well! Glad to hear that you enjoyed Hunger Games, I was very pleasantly surprised by it myself.
ReplyDeleteYes I thought it would maybe be lame but seriously I really liked it! I can't wait for the movie.
DeleteSiiiigh...you know how many of these books I want to read? ALL OF THEM. I have so many books going right now (seriously, like 9 books - I'm about to lose track of all the things I'm reading for work, for pleasure, for mindless pleasure, for review) but I want to add these to my current reading. Especially 11/22/63, and the snow child, and some rereads of marquez. man! i didn't know i could be so jealous of someone else's reading.
ReplyDeleteI HIGHLY recommend 11/22/63. The Snow Child was nice but not nearly as good as the King novel.
DeleteI loved all of your reviews this month - you read some terrific books. I haven't read The Hunger Games and haven't much interest in doing so, but maybe if you thought it was okay...hmmm...
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie! Like I said I was really happy I gave it a shot.
DeleteSomehow I've missed all the hype over The Snow Child, but I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it; I just started it the other night and was immediately engaged in the story and am only frustrated that I haven't been able to sit down and finish the rest of it in a single sitting, as it was so immediately appealing!
ReplyDeleteI'd be seriously impressed if someone could finish The Snow Child in a single sitting. Glad you like it!
DeleteYou read so many good books in Feb! And congrats on finishing a challenge book
ReplyDeleteThanks! Of all the books I chose to read for Ben's challenge, that one was the shortest and felt super accessible, but a good place to start nonetheless. :)
DeleteLooks like you read a ton of great books in February.
ReplyDeleteThe Postman Always Rings Twice is my first noir read as well. Like you, I thought an explanation for the title would come up in the novel, but it didn't. According to Wikipedia (which isn't the most reliable of sources), James M. Cain was always anxious about the news the postman would bring regarding a submitted manuscript, but he never missed it because the postman always rang twice. He might miss the first ring, but never the second. Kind of like how Frank escaped being jailed for killing Nick, but was caught instead for killing Cora (which he really didn't do). Just thought I'd share this with you. :)
Oh I hadn't read that one! There are a couple different explanations out there I wonder which was true. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteYou manage to get lots of great reading accomplished. I feel like a slacker lately. I loved 11/22/63 as well. Happy March
ReplyDeleteI tend to read more in the winter than I do in the summer months. I guess that's what living in the Midwest does to me :)
DeleteIt sounds like you had a good February! Have a fabulous March :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Lu!
DeleteBrenna,
ReplyDeleteYou and me both: I too am one of the few book bloggers who don't read 12 books a month. On fact, I barely read one or two a month. It's not because I don't want to. But I also find I'm slowing down even more because a review has to come afterward, and reviews are hard work!
PS. I really look forward to The Snow Child.
I feel like everyone has a different pace. Some months I do better than others, but I've never reached reading more than seven books in one month, ever. That's okay with me though :)
DeleteSome varied reading and an impressive number!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I try to mix it up.
DeleteI haven't read the Hunger Games yet either...but I have the box set sitting by my end table. I keep telling myself they'll be next in line to be read, but then it always seems like some other book more intriguing comes along. (Also, I tend to put off reading the "hyped-up" books). I've resolved that I WILL read them before the movie comes out!
ReplyDeleteJust wondering: how do you keep track of the books you read and the other stats that go along with the books (number of pages, author's origins, publisher, etc)? Spread sheet or an online program?
Well if it makes it any easier for you to pick up, I promise it will be a quick read. I read it in a span of 24 hours, and I'm not a super fast reader.
DeleteAs far as keeping track of books, Goodreads has a nice tool that tells me page count and the number of books I've read over time. For all the other stuff I have a spreadsheet when I keep track of publication date, author origin, genre, etc. I don't actually keep track of publishers except at the bottom of my reviews, just in case anyone is interested in which edition I read.
Thanks! I am on Goodreads and recently started my own spreadsheet...just thought maybe I was missing out on some cool website out there! ;)
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